When Dreams Become Nightmares
by RagingKey
Summary: In the aftermath of the Battle of Beacon, Team AART was split and Weiss was gone. Separate, they each walk a different path in hopes of putting an end to Seymour's plans with the Fiends and Grimm. They will find what they have lost, and keep what they feel they are losing. Rated M for language, blood, and dark themes. Part 2 of Remnant of a Dream.
1. Harpy Trailer

_**Edit: In my haste to post this, I forgot to mention one big important thing, Airu's Theme. While this track may not fit this particular battle, it fits her character in my opinion. Her theme is Crossing Fields - English Dub by Amanda Lee (LeeandLie). I chose this particular version because I felt it captured her past and present status. All members of Team AART will have a character theme, and if you have any suggestions let me know in a review or a PM. Now, back to the chapter.**_

 **Welcome back everyone. It's been quite a while hasn't it. Only a month later than scheduled to be posted.**

 **First, I want to apologize for that. My computer was having troubles, I lost some motivations, and other personal matters got in the way. Second, is the update schedule. I am looking to update every Tuesday in the month of August with a new trailer for _When Dreams Become Nightmares._ After that it will move to every other week as college will be starting up soon.**

 **Next, I want to talk about the other stories I will be posting. _DUSC to Dawn_ will be starting up soon, and will be posted opposite _When Dreams Become Nightmares._ Basically both stories will get two chapters a month, which is slower than before, but with the changing life situations this is what I feel is best for my time. If I have more time I may post more often, but no promises. **

_**Dust**_ **will be posted once a month, when that starts up. This, along with free time, is also because it takes longer to write with two people working on it, and the chapters are much longer. Therefore, it gets a slower update.**

 **Finally, _A Hollow's Game_ has been canceled for now. It started good but I found myself writing into a hole. A lot of things weren't coming out right, the main character was feeling dry, he was way overpowered for what I was going for, and the mechanics of the story were clunky. It just wasn't working. I may revive it without the Gamer aspect and with different aspects, but for now it is dead.**

 **Anyways, it's time for the first trailer. There will be four trailers for Team AART, and a Trailer for the Gullwings that doubles as the first chapter. The order of the trailers will be Harpy; Guardian; Gunslinger; and Dream. Now, without further ado, sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **AART Trailers: Harpy Trailer**

Silence filled the air as the young harpy, with a wingspan of six feet, enters the training room. The vast space, void of any equipment, provides a large area to spar with plenty of light from the windows above. Grey and white colors painted the room dull, but it didn't need to be extravagant.

Airu Miria tugged on the fur collar of her shirt, a brown, v-neck tank top lined with white fur. The shirt was made to accommodate her larger chest and wings. Slits are cut from the back as to not crush the hollow bones within her wings. On her right shoulder rests her emblem, a skull with two large wings protruding from behind it, tattooed in black. Her black fingerless gloves also have a white version of the emblem printed on them. A black pair of short shorts covers up her lower half, while still showing off her assets.

As she walks into the room, the harpy examined it and took note of someone standing in the corner. He wore a white suit jacket, shirt, and pants and stood with a formal posture. His white mustache and hair blend with his clothes and the wall behind him. The two lock eyes before the harpy turns to the massive doors in front of her. He nods reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small device to open the door.

The harpy reaches up to her wings, gripping the handle to the butterfly swords sheathed behind her. With fluid and practiced motion, she draws the wide, but thin, blades from their scabbards and readies her battle stance. She moves her legs out a little, crouching down and raising the blades in front of her.

From the door emerges two large suits of armor controlled by computers. Each has a large blade in one hand, each with a different colored stripe down the middle. Both easily stood at fifteen feet tall. The harpy scoffs at the sight, but remains calm as a counter appears above her with fifteen seconds. She waits patiently as the counter slowly reaches zero.

The first robot swings its red blade down upon the harpy, only for her to roll to the left to avoid the slash. The second slashes upward as she raises her blades in a defensive stance. The wide blades form a wall that the attack scrapes across, doing little more than push the harpy back. Airu growled as she began to bring her blades slightly lower.

The red blade returns, swinging down upon the harpy. She steps to the side and raises her blade to cover her side and allow the robot to side its blade down hers and prevent too much damage. The harpy hops into the air and onto the blade as she begins to run up it. She crosses her blades over her chest in an 'X' shape as they begin to glow red. With another graceful motion, she slices through the air and sends two waves of fire of similar shape to her stance towards the helm of the robot knight.

The crushing force of the robot's other hand as it strikes the harpy sends her into a nearby wall, cracking it and causing small pieces of rubble to hit the ground. As the dust clears from around her, a light green glow covers her body, protecting her from the possible damage that would have been inflicted.

As she struggled to her feet, a small amount of blood drizzles down from her lips. The harpy raises her arm to the blood and wipes it off with her thumb. "I think it might be best to end this quickly then," she muttered to herself. She sheathes her butterfly swords and rests her hands on the hilts of the rapiers at her side.

The first has a blue hilt with a golden cross guard and knuckle guard. A sliver blade with golden accents, infused with lightning Dust extends from the hilt, allowing for quick and shocking strikes from the rapier. On her other hip rests a silvery-grey rapier with four prongs acting as a guard. Within the end of the hilt resides a revolving canister of Dust that allows the silvery blade to change its elemental properties.

The two armored robots each raise their blades and swing down upon the young harpy. Before the blades can hit her, however they collide with a solid barrier of air. The harpy's body glows again as her Aura covers her body. With a mental push, the wind explodes outward and knocks away the giant swords. The armored robots stumble backwards due to loss of balance.

A sly grin forms across the young harpy's face as she draws the rapiers from her hips, the silver in her left and the golden in her right. The revolving canister rotates around to the yellow setting, and electricity crackles around the blades. With a blast of wind, the young harpy charges the two armored robots.

Her blades dance around the robots and electricity fly through the air as cuts and stab wounds begin to cover their bodies. A giant blue sword swings in attempt to cut down the young harpy with her back turned. As it nears her body, the wind wraps around the blade and lowers it enough to flip over it, using her wings to steady herself. The red sword tries to block it, but more wind holds it down as its wielder loses its top half.

The young harpy lands on the blue sword as the revolver in her silver rapier rotates to its red setting and flames erupt from the blade. She trusts forward with her golden rapier, sending bolts of lightning towards the robot before spinning once and doing the same with the silver rapier, this time sending balls of fire.

The elemental blasts crashed into the face of the last armored robot, each one peeling away the metal exterior that protects it. As the dust cleared, a large opening in the robot's armor reveals itself, giving the young harpy an idea. She rushed forward and jumped through the hole in the armor, releasing a large amount of her lightning Dust into the air. The young harpy slipped through another slit of the robot and fires another bolt of lightning behind her, activating the rest of the Dust inside the robot.

Electricity dances over the robot's body as it moves its limbs in erratic motions. Interior explosions blast holes in its armor as nuts and bolts fly from it. The giant sword falls from its grasp and its arm soon follows. Within seconds, the robot reduces to a pile of scrap metal and electronics.

The young harpy grins and pushes some of her black hair out of her face, letting it fall down to the middle of her back. Her brown eyes scan the room for anymore training robots before sheathing her rapiers. The white suit man strolls over to the young harpy with a stoic expression. "That was excellent for a f…" he trails off mid sentence to check his word choice, "for someone of your age."

"Thank you, Mr. Schnee," she replies. "I know it's hard to change your beliefs, but thank you for the effort as well, at least when I am around."

"It's the least I could do for someone my daughter cares so much about." Mr. Schnee looks down at his feet in sadness. "Promise me when you go you will find her."

"I won't stop searching until I find her, I promise."

" _We_ won't stop until _we_ find her," corrects another female voice. Mr. Schnee and the young harpy turn towards the small door at the side of the room. From it walks a slightly older woman with the same white hair as Mr. Schnee, but tied back into a bun on her left side, allowing the right side to fall down to her face. She wears a military style outfit consisting of a long white coat with a black vest over a white blouse and pants with black, knee-high, boots.

"Winter, you're coming?" the harpy asks her.

"Yes I am," Winter replies as she approaches the two. "I already cleared with the general and I assume you are okay with me accompanying Airu. Am I wrong father?"

Mr. Schnee shakes his head. "No, you are right." He turns his attention back to the young harpy. "Just make sure she is safe, I won't lose a second daughter."

"I'll make sure of it, Jacques," Airu replies with determination.

"Good, then I think today's training is done." Airu and Winter nod and walk towards the open door.

* * *

 **Well, there it is. Airu's new look and her adjusted fighting style with two rapiers. Sorry if this felt a little clunky. I started writing this in present tense like the last story, but felt wrong writing it towards the end. I shifted my writing style a bit and it feels a lot better. You should be able to tell when I started writing like that full time a little later.**

 **Anyways, I will see you all next week with the next trailer, the Guardian Trailer.**


	2. Guardian Trailer

**Another week, another trailer. Now we move onto the second A in team AART, Auron Ronin. You may notice that as the story progresses, he may begin to act a little OOC, but that is for a good reason. Auron is no longer in control, can no longer guide others down the path he wish he took. He is still ignorant about the world, and no longer has to act as the rock for everyone to relay on. As such, he has changed, and has displayed his emotions more.**

 **This is also why Auron's Theme no longer fits him like before. So instead, the theme I have found for him is Get Up by All Good Things. I feel this fits his mindset a little better, and shows his drive to protect others. But, let's not wait anymore and get on with the Guardian Trailer. Sit back and Enjoy.**

* * *

 **AART Trailer: Guardian Trailer**

Snow covered the ground, topped the trees, and drifted in the air. No leaves remained on the barren trees of the forest. Only the sounds of the animals and the winds that blow through the forest could be heard. Four headstones rest in the snow. Each one remained as grey as the day they were made as the snow avoids the concrete reminders of those who have fallen.

Auron, former guardian in Spira and once a student at Beacon academy, watched over the graves. He wore a red, sleeveless vest and a pair of black trousers. A red sleeve and shoulder pad goes over his right arm with a belt to hold it up. All that remains of his left arm, his shoulder, sticks out of the sleeve, but does nothing more. A red sash, with his emblem of a sakura tree, goes over his right leg.

Across his back rests half of his sword, Masamune. The hilt starts with a round edge connecting to the now half bug design. From either side, the blade protrudes from the rounded edge, with the larger one facing towards the red foot long handle. The rest of the blade continues on, passing underneath the shorter leg, for another two feet, before dipping inwards, making a shorter blade. The blade rounds itself out again with a semi circle edge that ends in a jagged point. The opposite edge remains jagged and serrated after being cut in half just three months back.

As the former guardian stares down upon the graves, he burns into his memory the names written on them. A reminder to never forget their stories. From right to left, he read aloud, "Yatsu, Velvet, Fox… Coco." He stopped on the last name, taking an even longer time to look at her grave. Using his only arm, he runs his hand through his long, jet black, but graying, hair tied back in a ponytail that rests on his left shoulder. Moving it from his face, he reveals a long scar over his right eye, sealing it shut. He then pushes the sunglasses he wears up his face a little to cover his eyes.

"I am sorry, I couldn't protect you from my past," he continued, "My past, my sins, my old life got you all killed. Some guardian I am. I promise I will avenge you, all of you. That was your dying wish, wasn't it, Coco? To think, the last words you spoke to me, were the words I never knew I wished to hear. I won't let your deaths be in vain. Rest in peace, my love." Auron places two fingers to his lips as he squats down to Coco's grave and places them on her name. "I will return with Seymour's head on a plate, I promise."

As he stood, he noticed the growling behind him. Turning around in the snow, he looked to what has disturbed his peace. In front of him stands a large number of Grimm and Fiends, more specifically, Beowolves and the four-armed, purple fur, primate Fiends, Bashuras. The Fiends easily stood at close to eight feet tall.

Auron walks through the snow as he reaches his one good arm up to his broken sword, the white fluff crunching under his feet. The creatures growl at his confidence as he draws the sword, but rests the serrated edge on his shoulder. With the blade resting, he rolls his shoulder as if to challenge the beasts. One of the Beowolves takes the challenge and charges forward, lunging at the guardian.

A small grin appears his face as the Grimm closes in. Auron sidesteps the lunge and lazily brings his sword off his shoulders, cutting through the Grimm with minimal effort. With his blade now at his side, he assumes a more serious stance with the blade positioned behind him more. If he had his other hand, he would of motioned for the rest to bring it.

Two more Beowolves charged forward as Auron did the same. The guardian ducked under the first swipe and moved his head to avoid the second. With the Grimm defenseless, he stabbed into the chest of one and slices through its body, into the second. As the two Grimm began to disappear, the fist of a Bashura crashed into the guardian's face, causing him to stumble back.

Regaining his bearings, Auron hopped back to avoid two right hands from the Fiend. Knowing the beast from Spira, Auron takes his time observing his opponent. As he examines the weaknesses it might have, instincts kick in and he rolled to the right to avoid another double fisting from a second Bashura. As he turns to the two, a third walks up next to them with its fists ready to fight.

Auron curses to himself as he adjusts his strategy. A red Aura forms around his blade as a slight black one covers his body. "Copycat," he muttered. The Aura around his blade grew brighter and he looked the Fiends in the eye as he uttered two more words, "Power Break." The first Bashura charged forward, striking at the guardian with both right hands. As the crushing fists reached his body, he disappeared, leaving sakura petals where he stood.

Repairing behind the Fiend, he slashed its back, leaving a red glow to run along its body. The second and third attempt to ambush him with his back turned, only for Auron to dash away once more and inflict them with the same ailment their fellow Fiend has. The Aura around Masamune slowly dies down and Auron's becomes too faint to see clearly. Looking behind him, he spots more Beowolves gathering for an ambush.

Auron sighs to himself before once more becoming nothing more than petals to the Grimm. The guardian dashed towards the pack of surprised Grimm and cut down two before they react. The eight remaining Grimm circled around him, hoping to gain any advantage. A white glow around his body replaces the black one that surrounded him a minute ago. Once more, he grinned at the situation.

The larger Beowolf, the Alpha, howls to signal the pack to attack all at once. Auron let out a small chuckle and chanted, "Pitiful!" With inhumane power, he leaps into the air and points his broken blade down upon the fiends as it begins to glow white with energy. At the height of his jump, the Grimm crashed into each other, leaving them exposed as he chanted, "Dragon Fang!" Auron fell to the ground with a battle cry.

His blade decapitates one Beowolf before diving into the ground and sending a shockwave to the rest of the pack. The snow blows out as well, adding a touch of ice to the attack. The rest of the pack either gets ripped apart by the shockwave, or freezes and shatters into a million pieces.

Returning to his feet, he watched as the Bashura slowly approach him, cautious after feeling their strength drain from their body. Still feeling the energy from his earlier attack, Auron holds his his blade out to his side as the white energy covers his body. "You shall perish like demons!" he chanted as the energy covers his sword. "Zanmato!" Auron sprints towards the Fiends as they freeze in fear. Leaping into the air as he reached the Fiends, he twisted his body and swung his broken blade at the trio of Bashura. Sakura petals fall at his feet as a large white slash appears along each fiend's chest. Slowly, they began to fade, leaving nothing to prove their existence, save the blue and green pyreflies that float from where they once stood.

"Creatures like you should stay away from this grave," Auron states as he places his sword on his back. Looking out of the forest, he pushes his sunglasses up his face a little and begins walking away, his red sash flapping with the wind.

* * *

 **And that's that. Hope this sets tone a bit more and shows the pain he still feels over Coco's, and her team's, deaths during the Battle of Beacon. Also, I am aware of the** **similarities to the Red Trailer, and that was what I based this off, much like I based the Harpy Trailer off the White Trailer. Next week, the Gunslinger Trailer, featuring Ren Glain.**

 **Oh, before I forget, I have to thank my betas. General Texas, back from his sudden absence, has started helping me again and review this trailer before I posted this. I also want to note my new beta as well, who will be starting today with reviewing chapters, PatRox. Thank you both, and to my readers, have a good week with college starting next week. If you have any questions, suggestions, or opinions, please leave a review. I actually had a reader complain about the fact that there weren't enough reviews on my stories.**


	3. Gunslinger Trailer

**I'm back and better than ever. I've got a new laptop, a new, and a new life. That's right, college has begun, so that means I will not have as much time as before. That being said, I will still uphold the schedule I discussed a few weeks ago, so stay tuned for that. Also, on Friday, September 1, I will be posting a summary for Remnant of a Dream, character sheets for Team AART, and revealing the story's intro theme. As for the song, I'll give you one hint. The singer who sings Ren's Theme also sings the intro. No more hints.**

 **Now, onto the meat of this trailer, the trailer. This week you get to witness the new Ren Glain as we move on to the R of Team AART. Much like the Harpy and Guardian Trailer, this will be similar to a trailer from the original four. The Gunslinger Trailer shares parallels with the Black Trailer, and even makes a short reference to the game that inspired Ren's Semblance.**

 **Without further ado, here it is, the Gunslinger Trailer. Just sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **AART Trailers: Gunslinger Trailer**

The forest of Forever Fall remained as bright as ever. The reds and oranges and yellows that cover the trees blew in the subtle wind. Small Grimm walked along the trails in hope of catching some prey. One baby Beowolf wandered from its family when it noticed a long trail of metal.

The small Grimm looked curiously at the metal beam and sniffed it. Looking around, another beam of metal sat next to it running parallel to it. The Beowolf walked over to the other beam and sniffed it as well. As it dug its nose into the cold steel, the whistle of a train makes itself heard. The baby Beowolf looks up into the lone headlight of a train before being struck down mercilessly.

On a cliff above, the young gunslinger of Team AART, Ren Glain, watches the train through the scope of a sniper rifle. He raised his hand to his ear and spoke into the mic of his earpiece, "I have it in my sights, about 600 meters away. Is this my target?"

" _Yes,"_ replied the voice on the other side, " _Remember the plan?"_

"Yeah, go in, kick ass and chew bubble gum. You forgot to give me some gum though." Ren began to stand up, leaving the grass that hid his clothing. He wore a skin tight, long sleeve, black shirt with some extra padding in the chest and arms. On his legs, he wears a pair of black pants made in a similar fashion. Over his shirt and pants are black gauntlets and greaves with his emblem, a broken skull, and dual pistols pointed outward behind it, that have different Dust sewn into them. Over his right eye is an orange screened computer that also acts as his scroll.

" _No, that is not the plan! You are to go in there, incapacitate the White Fang soldiers and stop the train!"_

"That's what I said, James." Ren willed away the gun as the train begins to pass under him.

" _That is General Ironwood to you!"_

"You seem to think that I work for you, James. I am not one of your soldiers, you have no authority over me." Ren raised a hand to his ear. "I have to go now, I have a train to catch." Before Ironwood can respond, Ren hangs up and jumped onto the caboose of the train. Rolling to keep his legs from snapping, he turns his back to the raging winds and opens the hatch to the train car.

The gunslinger peers inside, looking for any potential threats. Only stolen Dust fills the train car. Determining it to be safe, he drops down quietly inside and draws one of his pistols. He moves to the end of the car and looks to the next car through the window. Once more, only Dust inside.

Ren quickly opens the door outside and crosses the small gap to the next car. Taking one more quick look inside, he opens the door again and sneaks inside. Moving cautiously through the Dust containers, he reaches the other side and looks through the window. The next car contains nothing more than a wooden platform with about ten guards keeping an eye out for Grimm.

"This should be fun," he muttered to himself as he opens the door and crosses the gap to the platform. As he walked, a couple of White Fang members look his way and alert the others. Soon enough, they surrounded him, each holding a machete with guns attached. The gunslinger sighs and holsters his pistol. A guard from behind began walking forward toward him with some rope to bind him and Ren shifted his weight slightly.

As the guard reaches him, Ren turned and hopped, bringing his left foot around into the guard's face. The gunslinger grabs his wrist with his left arm after landing and drags him into a lariat. He drops his weapon as he falls to his back, to which Ren twists and stomps on his arm, breaking it in three places.

Another guard tried to attack Ren from behind, only to be met with the gunslinger's right elbow in his throat. He turned and struck the White Fang member in the abdomen, causing him to double over. Ren wraps his arm around the bent over attacker's neck and snapped down to his back, driving his head through the floor and nearly caves in his skull.

Two more attack him from either side, each swinging their blades. Ren side steps the attacks and strikes the wrist of one of his attackers. Their blade dropped from their hand as the gunslinger shatters their knee with his heel, forcing them to their other knee. The second one swings again and Ren blocked by grabbing his wrist. Using the man he just caught, he pushed into him and threw him over his shoulders, still with his wrist in hand. The second attacker drops onto the first's head, knocking him out. As the second tried to get up, he falls back to the ground unconscious after an elbow from Ren.

"Come on," he complains as he looks to the other six, "At least put up a challenge." The White Fang members growl and charge the lone gunslinger. A sly grin appeared on his face as he waited for their attack. The first guard tries for an overhand strike, leaving him open for Ren to plant his foot in every man's weakness. He dropped to his knees as two more run past him.

Ren draws his dual pistols from his side and shifted them into their nightstick form to block the incoming blades from either side. Turning on his heel, Ren drives weapon in his right hand into the face of his left attacker while firing from his left into the right's chest. Both attackers fall back and off the platform, leaving Ren with three more to take out.

One from the right charges, only for Ren to strike him in the face with his nightstick and fired into his face. The next one attacked from behind, only to meet the bottom of Ren's boot. He quickly switched his feet and planted his left leg to the ground while hitting the guard with a roundhouse kick.

The third attacked while he is on one leg, causing Ren to leap into the air to keep his leg. He wrapped his legs around the last White Fang guard's neck as he falls towards the ground head first. Ren stopped his fall with his hands before he can land as his legs continue moving down, pulling the guard with him and tosses him off the train.

Ren holstered his weapons and takes off towards the door into the main train car. Inside, another group of guards were resting in the passenger car when he kicked the door down and rushed the inside. Using the seats as a stabilizer, he jumpped up and kicked the first guard into the others. Activating the Lightning Dust in sewn into his gloves, he drives his fist into the gut of the first guy, who lays on top of the rest. Everyone begins to twitch and shake from the electricity running through their body.

Ren sniffs the air as smoke rises to his nose. "Bacon?" he asked as a grin appeared on his face. Shaking his head at his own joke, he continues through the train car onto the next one. Like where he fought the other guards, he runs out into another wooden platform. This time however, a Lieutenant of the White Fang awaits him.

The large faunus with his mask covering his face raises his large chainsaw sword and grips the blade with both hands. "Are you the one taking out my men?" he asked.

"I don't know," replied Ren, "I mean, all of them kinda fought like little bitches, so it would be hard to call them men."

"You will pay for your arrogance. Get 'im boys." From behind the Lieutenant comes another four White Fang guards.

"Sorry, but I am afraid this show is off the air." Ren clicked his heels and activates the Wind Dust in his greaves. The light green-blue glow runs along the sides of the boots and up his legs. He also punched his fists together, creating an icy mist around them. "You guys better not get cold feet, alright."

The four guards growl as they charge the gunslinger. Moving faster than before, thanks to the Wind Dust, he quickly gets into their faces. The first two he struck with his hands, freezing their chests as they fall. A third guard tries a sneak attack, only to be met with a speedy boot to his jaw. Ren pushed off his other leg and hooks the last guard by the neck, once more driving the guard through the wooden platform below.

Hopping up onto his feet again, Ren stared down the Lieutenant as his chainsaw sword began to rev up. A sly grin crossed his face as he readied a battle stance. The brute charged the gunslinger and brought his blade down to the wooden platform. Ren jumped back as it cut into the platform, leaving a massive hole, and draws his left pistol. He turns the dial to white and fires three shots at the sword. Upon impact, the bullets encased the sword with ice and freezing it in place.

As the White Fang Lieutenant tried to pry his sword from the ice, Ren leaps into the air and nailed him with a flying drop kick. The brute stumbles back, allowing the gunslinger to fire two shots behind his foe. The Lieutenant slips onto the ice and hits his head on the ground.

Like a Grimm stalking its prey, Ren walks over to his fallen foe with his pistol drawn. As he passed by his left knee, he shot it twice. His elbow, shot it twice. Ren stood over the Lieutenant's head and points the gun between his eyes. "Night-night, bitch," he said with a twisted smile and a deadly tone. Ren Glain pulled the trigger, ending the life of the White Fang Lieutenant.

Walking past the large dead body, Ren opens the door to the conductor's car. The man driving the train ignores the gunslinger as he listened to music. Ren slamed the but of his gun into his head and drops the man like a sack of potatoes. In the center of the control panel, a giant red button labeled 'STOP' flashes like it wants to be pushed. Ren does just that and the train's wheels begin to lock up.

The train jerked as it slid to a stop. Satisfied with his work, Ren walked out of the train car and off the train. He reached up to the ear piece and contacts the General. "My job is done," he declared, "I stopped the train."

" _Good, my men will be at your location soon,"_ informs Ironwood, " _How many are dead?"_

Ren Glain just shrugs. "I don't know, maybe eight to ten?"

" _We will talk about this later, just get back here, now."_

"I can do what I want James, I don't work for you. Just be happy I am even helping you defend Atlas, even with everyone hating you. Goodbye!" Ren hangs up before the General can speak again. He pushes aside some of his black hair from his face and stares into the forest before walking off.

* * *

 **There it is folks, the Gunslinger Trailer. Now, before some of you get your panties in a bunch, I know Ren is a bit different in terms of attitude, and that will be addressed in the story. I made a mention of this at the end of Remnant of a Dream, but I'll say it here as well, Ren's true colors are showing, and his darker side will lead to a mental change. He is snapping now, and we will see more of this as the story progresses. But, until next time, look forward to the Dream Trailer coming next Tuesday.**


	4. Dream Trailer

_**Edit: So in posting this last week, I forgot to mention Tidus's new theme. I was eager to get this trailer out I completely forgot about it, so here it is. Tidus' theme will be 'Lost in Thoughts All Alone - Hoshido Version' from the Fire Emblem Fates soundtrack. I liked the way the some really references dreams and the symbolism of water used in the song and felt it fit his character. I chose the Hoshido Version in particular because it was more fitting for him than the Nohr Version. I recommend either Lizz Robinette or LeeandLie to listen to, as they each use different lyrics that fit it equally. Anyways, sorry about missing the song inclusion, and back to your regularly scheduled chapter.**_

 **Another Tuesday, another trailer, and the last one of the AART Trailers. That's right, after this week we will be going into our final trailer as the schedule sets in. However, that is then and this is now, so let's get into the last trailer for Team AART, the Dream Trailer. Unlike the others, Tidus' trailer will not be inspired by one of the original trailers for RWBY, but instead will be on its own. Now, sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **AART Trailers: Dream Trailer**

Atop a steep cliff, two young men walk towards the edge and look over into the clear water below. The first has long black hair tied back into a ponytail with a bright magenta highlight in the front. He wears a dark green, diagonally-buttoned, sleeveless tailcoat that is red on the inside and reaches down to his ankles. Under it, he wears a black, sleeveless turtleneck with red, tasseled ropes over the hips, knee high white pants, and calf-high open-toed sandals. From his middle finger to his biceps run gradient pink-to-black detached sleeves ending in metal armbands.

Next to him stands a blonde with short hair. He wears a short sleeve, yellow vest with his white collar pointed up and his right sleeve torn, allowing it to hang loose. On his left arm is a blue shoulder pad connected to a black gauntlet by red strands over his elbow. The gauntlet changes to a copper color at his hand. A black glove covers his right hand.

Over the vest, he wears a black apron over a ragged pair of trousers. The left leg of the pants, torn halfway between his knee and his crotch, shows a pair of red compression shorts underneath. His right pant leg reaches his knee and continues on with a zipped on extension, also torn, but displays the symbol of the Zanarkand Abes in red. On his feet, he wears two blue shoes with high ankles. Magnetically locked to his hips, he carries his long sword, Caladbolg.

The blond turned to his black haired friend and asked, "You ready Ren?"

The black haired teen, Ren, nodded his head. "I am, Tidus," he calmly replied. Tidus nods back.

"Then let's go!" Both teens stepped back and ran towards the edge of the cliff. They leapt into the air once there was no more ground and dove into the water. As they hit the water, they each create a small splash when entering, showing both grace and skill. The two teens continued swimming down until they were about ten feet under the surface of the water.

Tidus swam away from Ren, putting about ten yards between the two. He turned back to face the black-haired teen and gives him a thumbs up. Ren returns the gesture and assumes a mock fighting stance as he continues to kick his legs to keep him level. Tidus mimics his movements and moves his left arm out to his side.

The bronze hand of his gauntlet shifts around his fingers, forming a bronze ball in his hand. Bronze strips of metal cross over a black interior, separating it into eight sections. On each point where the metal crosses, a red spear over a shield is engraved into the weapon with the name _Pyrrha_ inscribed underneath.

The blonde dream reels his left arm back and launches the blitzball, Champion's Spirit, through the water as it rockets through it like air. As it approaches Ren, he moves his hands above his head and catches it, flipping in the water from the force of the throw. Ren repeats the action and passes the ball back to Tidus, who catches it with ease.

As he readies another pass, he spots a green, fish like Fiend, Sahagin, swimming up behind him. Adjusting his aim, Tidus launches the ball once again, just outside of Ren's reach, and nails the Fiend in the head. Pyreflies rise from its body as Tidus catches his ball on the rebound, and two more appear to replace it.

Behind Tidus, a reptilian Grimm tried to chomp down on his head with its beaver like face. Ren quickly draws his green, bladed SMGs, StormFlower, and fired a barrage of bullets into the Afanc Grimm, reducing it into black dust. Two more appear from behind some rocks and begin speeding towards the two teens.

Tidus and Ren nod to each other, giving an unsaid signal to each other, and begin swimming at each other. Reaching back with his right arm, Tidus draws his sword from behind his back and slashed the first Sahagin, killing it, while the second charged Ren. Ren himself ducked under the massive jaw of the Afanc while stabbing his weapons into its chest. As it swam, the blades cut through the Grimm's underside like butter.

The weakened Grimm struggles to keep up its speed towards Tidus. Seeing the weakness in its swimming, Tidus kicks the blitzball in pity, snapping the Grimm's neck. As it bounces back, the dream kicks it again and kills the Sahagin. As the blitzball returns to his hand, he feels a familiar energy course through his body.

Ren turned to him as he avoids the jaw of the second Afanc. Tidus gives him a nod and begins glowing white with energy. The bronze blitzball shifts back into its glove form as the energy shifts into his sword. Ren fired into the eyes of the Grimm and kicks it up when it gets too close. Tidus flipped and turned through the water towards the Grimm and brought his ready blade into a comfortable grip. With one final push, he 'leaps' above it and brings his blade down in an arc. The attack created a shockwave, sending water either direction and pushed Ren back a little. Where the Afanc once floated remains empty as it disintegrates itself.

The teens share a mental sigh as they look upwards to the surface. As they begin rising, the breaking of rocks catches their attention. Looking towards the sound, Tidus mentally groaned at the sight of what emerged from it. From the rubble appeared a large Fiend, the Genosage. With large two large green scale arms, three tails, a cage like stomach, and a wide mouth, the Fiend brought back horrible memories for Tidus. Several lights extend from its back, illuminating the water around it.

Tidus reshifts the ball into his hand and readied his sword while Ren checks his ammo. With a final nod, the two swam back down to deal with the Fiend. Geosage unleashed a battle cry and punched forward. Tidus blocked the strike with his blade as he nails the Fiend in the face with the blitzball. The dream flips to avoid another punch while catching and kicking the ball back. Once more it bounces off its face and returns to Tidus as he flips again. Mid backflip, he connects with another kick of the blitzball and pushes higher into the water with his hydrokinesis, spinning quickly.

Another strike and return, the ball soared to Tidus as his spin stopped in the water to kick the ball with more force than before. Champion's Spirit shoots toward the Geosage like a bullet with a faint white glow covering it. The Fiend tried to swallow the attack, but the ball traveled through its mouth and stomach, ripping a hole in it as it came out the other end. Geosage wailed in defeat as its body slowly becomes pyreflies.

Tidus caught his ball and returned it to its glove form. Ren swam up next to him and the two made their way back up to the surface. Feeling the sun on their faces, both teens take a deep breath of the fresh air. Once they filled their lungs with air, they swam over to the small beach by the cliff. The water slid off their clothes, leaving them only mildly wet due to them being fabricated with water resisting Dust. The two grab towels to dry their hair as they take a seat on the rocks.

"It still amazes me how you can hold your breath for that long and not have to resort to your Aura," commented Ren.

"What can I say?" Tidus shrugged, "Back where I came from, I was doing this daily, though not usually fighting Fiends during that. Blitzball was my life for the longest time. Now," he reformed the ball into his hand, "This is the only thing I have to utilize that time."

"You miss her, don't you?" Tidus hangs his head low.

"Yeah, I do."

"You're not alone, we miss her too." Silence followed. The two relax for a moment before Ren speaks again. "Are you ready to head back?"

"Yeah, let's go." Tidus and Ren stand back up and walk towards the large white manor behind them.

* * *

 **And there we have it, the Dream Trailer. I felt it was best to set this battle underwater as it fits with Tidus and his blitzball history. Speaking of blitzball... Tidus has a new weapon.**

 **Champion's Spirit is essentially Tidus' version of making use of Pyrrha's sword and shield, much like Jaune used it in canon. I felt the name fit the weapon very well, and the fact that it also acts as his gauntlet shows exactly where Tidus want to keep it. As for his look, I decided on using Tidus' Dissidia design, as it captures the darker and more taxing situation he is in. Still bright and yellow, but torn and evident of battle.**

 **Anyways, next week is the Gullwings Trailer, which is much longer than these last four. Then again, I am showing off four characters, so it fits. Also next week on Friday, I will be posting a summary of Remnant of a Dream for those in need of a refresher, or those too lazy to read it. It won't include everything, but will touch upon a lot of major points. I will also be incuding character info for Team AART as of the beginning of the story to clarify some details that may have not been touched upon, or misunderstood. Until then, have a nice labor day and I will see you all next week.**


	5. Gullwing Trailer

**Here we are, the final trailer. Sorry this is coming out later in the night, but I was pretty busy today and just now has some time. Anyways, this is going to be the Gullwings Trailer, showing off the Gullwings as they are now. This is going to be a lot like the opening into of FFX-2, so if some video helps you visualize, you can watch that to get a sense of what is going on.**

 **I also want to acknowledge the first follower, favorite, and review of this story: alexwu. And to address your comment, yes it has been a long time coming.**

 **This is also going to be a bit longer, just because we are showing off 4 characters instead of one. After this, Friday there will be a Summary of the previous story, Character Information, and the premiere of the Intro for the Story going forward. Anyways, I don't want to just sit here talking, so here it is. Sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

Luca, the epicenter of trade in Spira and home to the only blitzball stadium. But now, the stadium roars in cheers not for the game, but for the concert being held. In place of the dome of water where the games are held, a large golden machine looking like an obese man with two neon blue drumsticks in his hands rises from below. Around it, several machine drums rise next to it as its head spins. Resting on the statue's head like a hat, a golden platform with small tv's towards the bottom and a neon blue stage above plays host to the performer.

The performer, high summoner, and savior of Spira, Yuna, wears a purple pleated, flower-patterned dress; black boots; a black spaghetti-string camisole under a white sash that wraps around her neck and over her chest; and a yellow patterned obi with a chōchō musubi knot and a decorative obi dome to clinch the cords. Two separate, kimono-like sleeves complete the outfit. The same clothes she wore when she defeated Sin two years ago.

Elsewhere, in one of the corridors of the stadium, a guard on his usual patrol turned a corner. To his surprise, he was quickly met with the striking power of a white fist, knocking him out. The guard fell to the ground as his attackers stepped out from the shadows.

The first girl, around 18 years old, has short, silver hair, red eyes, and wears a pair of black leather pants complete with high-heeled boots, elbow-length gloves, and a folded top. She wears a silver pendant threaded with a barbed wire chain. In her other hand, she holds a black, single-edged longsword with a red handle and a skull motif at the hilt.

The blonde girl next to her, slightly younger than the silvered hair girl, wears her long hair loose and braided, tied atop her head, adorned with colorful beads, and held by a blue bandana. She wears a yellow g-string bikini and an olive green mini-skirt, carrying two pouches at her waist and ruffle sleeves. A long yellow and red scarf hangs loosely around her neck. In her hands are two red daggers with hilts that surround the handles. She also has swirling green eyes.

Behind the two stands a white-haired girl, around the same age as the other two, with her hair tied back in an off-center ponytail and a small tiara at the base. She wears a pale blue bolero jacket over a similarly colored thigh-length dress with a piece of black lace making up the neckline of the dress. The inside of the bolero is red and the sleeves turn blue as they get closer to her wrists. The back of the bolero displays a snowflake. She also wears an apple-shaped necklace along with a pair of thin, rectangular earrings. On her feet are a pair white, heeled wedge boots that go to mid-calf; the insides are also lined with red. She has a pale complexion than the others and ice blue eyes, the left of which bears a visible scar. At her side, she keeps a simple rapier with a silver blade and hilt.

The blonde girl grabbed the legs of the guard and pulled him out of the hallway into a storage closet. The silver and white-haired girls continued on ahead, the former motioning for the blonde to follow. The blonde stopped and raised her hand to a microphone in her scarf by her shoulder, and says, "Y. R. P. W. In position. It's showtime girls." Finishing her message, she turns and followed after the other two girls.

Back on stage, the spotlights began to circle the stage as the lights in the arena begin to darken. After a moment, every spotlight focused on Yuna and the music begins to play.

 **(Cue Real Emotions - FFX-2 OST)**

 _What can I do for you?_

With a practiced strut, she walked forward toward the edge of the platform. The music picked up its beat as Yuna spun around and white ribbons surrounded her body, changing her clothes.

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _I can't hear you_

She caught a blue microphone from the air as a flash of light emanates from her body, revealing her new outfit. Yuna wears a blue top with white ruffles on the front and extended down to her knee on the left side. She wears a short, black lace skirt with a white belt. She wears blue gloves held on by black straps. She has black ribbons on her upper arms and knee-high brown boots. Feeling the beat of the music, the former summoner began to dance and sing to the music.

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _Far beyond the hazy borders of my heart_

 _I could see a place_

 _That's somethin' like this_

Behind her, a holographic projection of men take form behind her and dance to the music as well.

 _Every now and then I don't know what to do_

 _Still I know that I can never go back_

 _But the things I've seen_

 _In those hazy dreams_

 _Can't compare to what I'm seein' now_

In the stands, the blonde held a pair of machina binoculars to her eyes as she watched the performance and danced along to the music. A guard walked up behind her with a baton and pats her on the shoulder. "Hey," he said. She turned around to the guard and gave an innocent smile as he looked down at her, tapping his baton in his hand.

 _Everything's so different_

 _That it brings me to my knees_

The blonde blocked the guard's swing of the baton with her right arm, disarming him in the process. She followed up with a left elbow to his jaw and knocked him out with a strong right hook.

 _And though I know_

 _The world of real emotion has surrounded me_

The blonde smiled happily at her win as she goes back to watching Yuna perform while a glider flew in front of her.

 _I won't give in to it_

 _Now I know that forward is the only way my heart can go_

 _I hear your voice calling out to me_

 _You'll never be alone_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _I can't hear you_

 _And if I find_

 _The real world of emotion has surrounded me_

 _And I can't go on_

Elsewhere in the stands, the silver haired and white haired girls stand on the steps as they watch the performance. "Hey, you two!" called out a guard as he points his baton at the girls. Another one runs up next to him as they charge the two girls. The silver haired girl runs up the stairs, luring one guard away from his friend. As he got close, she leaped into the air and knocked the baton from his hand. She then continued the motion and kicked the guard down the stairs.

 _You are there, the moment that I close my eyes, to comfort me_

 _We are connected for all of time_

The white haired girl ducked under the swipe of the baton and struck the guard's elbow with and open palm. He dropped the weapon into her left hand as she spun and struck his face with his own weapon.

 _I'll never be..._

 _And though I know_

 _The world of real emotion has surrounded me_

The silver haired girl slides down the railing of the stairs and hops off right next to the white haired girl. Behind the two the blonde rises from the other side of the balcony on a stolen glider.

 _I won't give in to it_

 _Now I know that forward is the only way my heart can go_

 _I hear your voice calling out to me_

 _You'll never be alone_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _I can't hear you_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _What can I do for you?_

 _I can't hear you_

 _I can't hear you_

The crowd roars as the music finished while the three girls fly closer to the stage. The white haired girl places her left hand over her rapier as she looked to the other two girls. "Rikku, Paine, are you ready?"

The blonde, Rikku, nods her head and replied, "Yes I am, Weiss."

Paine just shrugged her shoulders as she looks ahead. "Let's just get the job done, alright?"

"Right!" exclaimed Weiss and Rikku in unison. The trio of girls hop off their glider onto the stage and turn towards Yuna. The former summoner continues to dance, taunting the three.

"Hey, give it back!" demanded Rikku as she draws her red daggers.

"Boys!" she called out, her voice sounding much too deep to Yuna's. To either side of Yuna, a couple of men step out of the shadows, wearing green body suits with leather wrappings around their legs and wrists, hats and masks that cover their entire face, claws on their right hands. "You girls want in on this number? Then show me your moves!"

"If you keep talking, I'll make sure you won't be singing anytime soon," threatened Weiss. Yuna's goons charged the three girls and began their attacks with their claws. Weiss stepped to the right to avoid the slash and countered by driving her left knee into his gut. She plants her foot as she draws her rapier, slamming the hilt into the goon's chest. The goon staggered back, allowing the heiress, Weiss Schnee, to spin and smash her leg into his head with a spinning heel kick. She landed with grace as the goon crumbles to the ground.

Looking to her left, she watched as Rikku drops another goon with a wicked right hook before she and Paine hopped back to avoid a Thunder spell cast by Yuna. Paine swung her blade up at the dancer who blocked it with the microphone. As she tried to recover from the powerful swing, Weiss sprinted forward and strikes the small openings with extreme precision. The attack forced Yuna to stumble backward.

Paine twirled her blade around in her hand as Yuna regains her balance. "I could have danced all night," she taunted. Yuna shrugs her shoulders in response.

"Sorry," the dancer replied, stretching out the word, "no time for an encore." She then pulled out a flash bomb from her pocket and threw it to the ground, temporarily blinding the girls. They watched through the cracks in their hands as Yuna ran off. As the light died down, they followed her out to the outer walkway of the coliseum.

With the girls close behind, Yuna threw off a quick Thunder spell as more goons blocked the trio's path. Weiss sped up as they run towards the goons and leaped into the air with a spin. She extended her leg out into a kick that hit the jaw of each goon, dropping three to the ground as Rikku and Paine ran past to knock out the other two.

Yuna escaped around a corner as the trio of girls tried to catch up with her. Rikku stops and looks around for the dancer. "Hey, you run too fast!" she called out.

"You're too slow, little girl," corrected a unknown voice. The trio looked back to the speaker, a tall man wearing a black and silver helmet with a chin protector tied round the back of his head with a purple stripe, and a blue robe and matching coat that features the Leblanc Syndicate logo on the shoulders and the sweeping, kimono-like sleeves. He has a purple sash around his waist and wears wraps around his ankles. In his hands he holds two revolvers

 _He must be one of Leblanc's_ , Weiss thought to herself, _I should've known she was behind this._ Before she could reply, the hardy laugh of another man rang through the air. Turning back the way they were going, a much larger man said, "Show's over," before proceeding to laugh some more.

"This isn't good," stated Weiss as she draws her rapier. She looks back to the larger man. Like his partner in crime, he wears a hat with a chin protector but with a blue strap instead of purple. He also has a purple cone covering his entire body with a purple sash running between his legs. His ankles and wrists have white cloth wrapping around while connecting to his gauntlets and boots. On his back, he keeps a large shield as big as himself.

"This way," suggested Paine, motioning to the path behind them. Rikku and Weiss nod in agreement and follow the silver haired girl away from the two men. As the men gave chase, a barrage of bullets land at their feet, forcing them to dodge the bullets flying towards them. Standing behind them, a young woman with a blue left eye and a green right eye points her dual pistols at the two men while donning modified halter-neck top with the symbol of the Zanarkand Abes, a long forgotten blitzball team, across the chest and a pink hood. She wears yellow armbands over her biceps, a black bracelet on her left wrist, and denim boyshorts. She carries a pouch on her left hip over an ankle-length blue and white sash and wears laced knee-high boots. Her brown hair doesn't quite reach her shoulders aside from one long red braid brushing alongside her ankle.

Seeing the men stop, the young woman lowered her weapons and ran towards the other girls. The larger man tried to stop her with a shield bash, but she used it as a springboard to launch herself into the air. She twists and flips her body in the air as she fired another barrage of bullets upon the two men.

She lands in a crouched position, once again facing the two men, and kept her weapons trained on them as she crossed her weapons over each other. Paine swung her blade out to the side, letting the sun's glare reflect off the sword, then brought it up to the same level as her head, with the edge facing upward. Rikku spun her daggers around her hands as she brought them up above her head, then grabs them with a solid grip and crosses the blades over her arms in reverse grips. Weiss twirled her blade in her hand before grabbing it with a formal grip, the tip pointing to the sky, while standing behind the other three.

"Where's the imposter?" asked the brown haired girl.

"Just ahead," replied Weiss as she assumes a more comfortable battle stance, "We need to deal with these blockheads first, however."

The larger of the two stomped his foot in response while he said, "Ohh, I'm gonna show you."

"Alright, let's show 'em how it's done girls," commanded the brown haired girl. Paine charged forward first with an overhead slash towards the taller man. The larger one blocked the attack with his shield and pushed her to the side. Three bullets, courtesy of the brown haired girl, impact his chest, causing him to stumble back. Rikku jabbed him in the back with her right dagger while pivoting around his body and slamming her foot into his knee.

The taller man aims his pistol at Paine as she swept the larger man's other knee. Before he can fire, Weiss knocked his gun into the air with an upward slash. As he stumbled back in shock, she quickly turned around and stabbed her blade forward in rapid session, knocking him into the wall behind him.

The four girls regroup as the two men pant on the ground in defeat. "That is quite enough sniveling, boys," ordered the demeaning voice of Yuna. The dancer walked in between the fallen men and looks to the quadruple of girl, specifically at the splitting image of her with brown hair. The two men stand upright once more as Yuna passes by them. "Quite persistent, aren't you?"

Yuna, the real one, holds out her right hand. "My grid," she demanded.

"You give us back Yunie's Garment Grid right now!" added Rikku. Weiss and Paine hold their weapons steady, both ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Yuna shrugged and shook her head. "Didn't you girls ever learn to share?" she asked.

Yuna stares down her doppelganger and once again demanded, "Give it back."

The fake chuckled briefly. "Very well, it's yours." She reached into her pocket and tosses a small object to Yuna. The ex-summoner caught the Garment Grid in her hand as the fake drew a fan from her side and unfolds it in front of her face. Three light orbs surround her body, removing her disguise.

She has a round face with purple eyes and short, blonde hair. She wears a pink-purple robe that exposes her chest and the tattoo of the Leblanc Syndicate's logo as well as her right thigh. The robe has a high, curved collar with tassels, and long sleeves reminiscent of a furisode kimono, the cuffs separated from the ends of the sleeves by a white crisscrossed material. She wears thigh-high stockings of the same color and purple ankle boots. Blue and white triangular and swirl patterns decorate her attire.

"I thought this was your doing, Leblanc!" Weiss snapped as the now named Leblanc snapped her fan closed.

"And who are you again?" retorted Leblanc. "I can never remember your name. It goes Yuna, Rikku, Paine, and then what? Wet Wipes?" Weiss's stare grows cold as she attempts to keep her composure. "No, that's not it. Wish Wash?" Her grip around her rapier becomes tighter. "No. What is the last person of the Gullwings? Oh, that's it! White Sheep!"

In the blink of an eye, Weiss flew forward with an upward slash across the chest of Leblanc. As the blade neared her chest, the thief blocks the attack with the sharp edge of her fan. As their weapons rebound off each other, Weiss growled at Leblanc, "The name is Weiss Schnee."

Leblanc grins cockily as she adjusts her grip on her fan. "I know, love. But, to be honest, I really don't care." The thief swung her fan back down, narrowly missing the white haired fencer's face. Weiss stepped back and strikes again as a small dagger parried the attack. The blocker thrusted the rounded edge of a hook blade into Weiss's gut, sending her back a little ways.

As she works back to her feet, she looked towards her new adversary. She wears a black, skin tight, leather bodysuit that displays her well-defined curves and carries a small dagger in her left hand and a curved hook blade in her right. She keeps her jet black hair tied back into a short ponytail, with a couple bangs falling in front of her face. "Leblanc, allow me to take care of her," offered the black haired woman of around twenty-five years old.

"Take care of her Carrie," commanded Leblanc, "I deal with the other Dullwings." Carrie nods and charges Weiss, swinging her hook blade with the dull edge outward. Weiss flips backward and gains some distance on her opponent while Yuna, Rikku, and Paine begin dealing with Leblanc.

"Flametongue!" Weiss chanted as her rapier engulfed itself in flames. She stabs forward at Carrie as she blocks the attack with her dagger. She then yanks Weiss's leg out from under her with her hook blade, but the white haired girl caught herself and flipped to her feet. The fire dies from her blade as she regains her stature.

"Ice Brand!" she chanted as mist begins to form around her blade. Carrie tries to hook her blade around Weiss's neck, only for her to dodge. As the black haired woman's swing continues, Weiss drives her rapier into the ground, freezing it. The ice traps her legs, preventing her from moving to avoid the rapid flurry of strikes from Weiss's rapier.

Carrie gets knocked into the air as she breaks free from the ice and twisted her body to land on her feet. She looked to Weiss, then back to her boss who was just sent into a wall after taking the flat of Paine's blade. "As much as I would like to keep this up," begins Carrie, "I feel I must take care of my boss first. Maybe next time we can get to know each other a little more."

"Sleep Blade!" Weiss chanted as she thrusts her rapier at the black haired woman. The sleep inducing attack connects with her chest as it disappears into the shadows. Weiss looks up to see Carrie running with the Leblanc's men as she carried her boss. Weiss put her rapier back in its sheath and let out a sigh as she walks over to the other Gullwings.

She looked over to Yuna as she walks, and noticed she had changed into the same clothes Leblanc was wearing earlier. Weiss also took note of the fact that Yuna happens to be dancing without control of her own body. "Having fun?" she asked giggling. The others turned to her as she approached with smiles on their faces.

"Yeah!" cheered Rikku as she pumps her fist in the air. She then looked to Weiss with a big grin. "You wanna call it?" Weiss nodded and pumped her fist into the air.

"Mission Success!"

* * *

 **And there it is. The Gullwings trailer. As you can see, the main focus was on Weiss, considering she is changing the course of time here in Spira.**

 **Now, I am pretty sure that some of you are wondering about Weiss's Dresspheres. Her standard (travel clothing) will be here Spell Fencer Dressphere. It replaces the Warrior and has elemental and status effect attacks with her weapon, or she can cast it on someone else's. Most of her Dressphere's will be based on characters from the actual RWBY series. This means some of them will change it entirely, or just change some of the mechanics of them. Some are original, others are going to be from the FFX-2 Dresspheres you can collect. No surprising her Special Sphere though. I will say that the Black Mage and White Mage Dresspheres are going to be based on actual FF clothing since they are generic enough to fit her as well.**

 **Anyways, the first official chapter will be released in two weeks, 9/19 and will continue every two weeks in a pattern.**


	6. Summary

**Hey everyone, quick update here for those new to the story, or those who want a refresher of Remnant of a Dream. This covers a lot of the main points and establishes some of the events that have happened, but it is not perfect. That being said, there is also some character information for Team AART as they are now and the intro theme for When Dreams Become Nightmares. So sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

After the defeat of Sin, it was time for Tidus and Auron to accept their fate, and return to the Farplane. Auron, being known as the legendary guardian of High Summoner Braska, had finally achieved his goal of protecting and guiding Yuna and Tidus to their destiny, and willingly passed on. Being the Dream of the Fayth, Tidus also passed on, fading before his companion's eyes as he made his trip to the Farplane. At least that was the plan, fate had different intentions.

Due to Yevon's final attempt at survival, a rift in the Farplane allowed the two guardians to wake up in Remnant, in front of a shop called From Dust Til Dawn. Auron, now looking as he did prior to his death at the hands of Yunalesca ten years prior, and Tidus were quickly thrown into action as they help Ruby Rose, a fifteen-year-old Huntress-in-training, deal with a group of thugs attempting to rob the store behind them.

Their encounter with Roman Torchwick led to their arrest, and acceptance into Beacon Academy, the famous Hunter school in the city of Vale. As they, and Ruby, accepted the offer, the Spiraians were soon exposed on their otherworldly status after the young girl had left. Headmaster Ozpin was quite willing to overlook the fact however and brought in the Lord of Hell RagingKey, whose connection with the headmaster is still ambiguous, to explain the changes in their body and the rules of the world they are now a part of.

While this was going on, more travelers had appeared in Remnant. The Isle of Warriors is, as its name implies, an island of warriors. Warriors once thought to be legends will often travel to compete in tournaments of glory and excitement, though these have only been within the past year. And while the Natives may be few, they are far from weak. However, with this power comes a dark history.

One of the many secrets and wonders is the Dimensional Transporter, a portal that allows the travel between different worlds. Files from the Ancients of the Isle mentioned a world called Remnant and a particularly strong warrior by the name of Ozpin. Deciding to scout the world, and possibly find some new competitors, the Natives send out two of their own to investigate.

Airu Mirai, the Harpy and leader of the Natives, and Ren Glain, the gunslinger and only one who could decipher much of the Ancient's technology. With their final words said, they set off on an adventure that would change their lives and cut-off anyway back to their real world. Unknown to them, in a very different dimension, an explosion destroying a similar machine caused a ripple effect and cut off the connection between the stranded Natives and their world.

While wandering through Vale, they happened upon the chance encounter with RagingKey, an old friend so to speak, who explains the world to them and grants them the weapons they will need for their journey. Included were the transcripts for Beacon Academy to push them towards their new life, at for a while.

Though their first days were filled with crazy explosions, odd sleeping arrangements, and being launched off a cliff, Tidus, Auron, Ren, and Airu manage to complete the initiation into the school. Ruby Rose was made the leader of Team RWBY, consisting of Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and her half-sister Yang Xiao Long, while Jaune Arc became the leader of Team JNPR, whose members were Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos, and Lie Ren. Airu was made the leader of Team AART, and their time at Beacon began.

In the first few weeks, Auron and Tidus began to adjust to their new life, not really looking to get back to Spira. They had nothing waiting for them, no reason to go back home. In Remnant they had friends they cared for. Auron, having the look of his twenty-five-year-old self, had even started to date Coco Adel, leader of the second year Team CFVY. Tidus, on the other hand, had assisted Pyrrha in Jaune's training, as it was revealed that he had faked his transcripts.

Nearing the semester break, Team RWBY and Airu had decided to take in the sights of Vale, which was making preparations for the incoming students from the other four kingdoms. However, while observing a robbed Dust shop, Weiss's less than satisfactory comments about the Faunus population and the White Fang sent tempers high, nearly destroying friendships with Airu and Blake, the latter of which had once been part of said organization.

After a few days, Airu took Weiss aside and told the heiress about her true past, and her dark history. It was then revealed that the reason why the island was so few in numbers was due to the Native's attempt at Genocide, stopped by the very demon that they tried to bring back, RagingKey.

Later that night, Airu found Blake and a monkey Faunus, Sun Wunkong, scouting out the docks where a shipment of Dust had been unloaded. Meanwhile, RagingKey sent word to the rest of Team AART to meet up there as well. Much to the surprise of Tidus and Auron, and the displeasure of Blake, they found Roman Torchwick and Seymour Guado leading the White Fang in a Dust robbery.

After a back alley vasectomy for the criminal, and the six Hunters in Training defeating the Fiend summoned by the former maester, everyone aside from Sun returned to the dorms. Tidus and Auron explained who they really were before Airu and Ren did the same. Once the air was clear, everyone went off on their own paths during the break.

Accidentally meeting during their usually training time with Jaune, who was gone at the time, Tidus and Phyrra decide to have a match atop the roof. The Dream managed to pull off a victory, but then they talked, alone. What was supposed to be a goodbye turned into a kiss from the Mistrial champion, leaving the two of them contemplating on their feelings.

When the second semester began, it quickly became apparent that Blake was not doing well, spending most of her time researching the White Fang and worrying over their next move. So, it was decided that Team RWBY and Airu were going to investigate, who were later joined by Sun and his teammate Neptune.

Weiss, Airu, and Ruby stopped at the CCT to look for any inconsistent records. However, after meeting with a lost friend, Ruby chased after Penny and soon discovered the Andriod's secret.

Blake and Sun attended a White Fang recruitment meeting, where Torchwick unveiled the stolen Atlas equipment he had. Next, Seymour introduced the White Fang to the ancient machina he had obtained. Things went south when they were spotted.

Yang and Neptune traveled to a local club, ran by an informant known as Junior. However, he knew nothing of use, but they did run into Auron and Coco, who were on a date at the time. As they left the club, a call from Sun let everyone else know that their mission failed.

Team RWBY, Auron, Airu, and Coco managed to defeat the various mechs before Roman's associate, and sister, Neo appeared on the scene. While the criminals fled, they didn't leave unscathed, as Roman received his second snip at his special place.

The next month was spent in preparation for the Vytal Dance, which was taken up by Team RWBY's Weiss and Yang when Team CFVY hadn't returned from a mission. In the spirit of the dance, romance began to blossom. Tidus and Phyrra, both who had been rather distant since the kiss, decided to give it a shot together, while Weiss and Airu were soon realizing they were closer than they thought.

As the dance itself came to a close, Seymour appeared before Auron, informing him of Coco's return, and the danger they may be in later. Meanwhile, Ren and Ruby follow after a mysterious intruder attacking the CCT. However, the intruder managed to escape the standoff unharmed upon Ironwood's arrival.

The next day, when the teams were choosing their first missions, Team AART had 'requested' being put on the same mission Team CFVY was on, due to the presence of Fiends. While Ozpin originally declined, Auron 'convinced' the Headmaster to allow them to partake in the mission. He accepted, on the condition that he accompany Team AART.

The team fought through wave after wave of Fiends before encountering Seymour. He spoke briefly about his plans to recreate Sin and how Yevon had gifted his powers to him. After he spoke, he attempted to end them all with a Mega-Death, only to be stopped by RagingKey and his protege MoonKoolaid.

Once the former maester was stopped for at least a moment, the group sped off in a truck back towards Vale, making it in time to stop the wave of Grimm breaching the city. However, once sealed, the cave was blown open once more by Fiends, causing a longer battle to ensue.

As the last of the Fiends fell, a brief moment of respite was allowed before the next challenge came, in the form of Seymour again. This time, however, he trapped each member of Team RWBY in a deadly duel with replicas of Yuna's other guardians. Those still in the real world, however, were faced with a more deadly threat, the King of Dragons, Bahamut.

A victory was theirs thankfully, as Ruby defeated Kimarhi, Weiss overcame Lulu, Blake outsmarted Rikku, and Moon saved Yang from drowning while defeating Wakka. Teams AART and JNPR had it easy, as they watched RagingKey single-handily take down the powerful Aeon. It was also due to his vast abilities that he was able to save Ruby from bleeding out from the wound she had received during her own fight.

The tournament began months later, right about the same time Airu began having dreams of a woman much like her, claiming to be her real mother. However, Tuz Madar seemed to be strained holding the vision and never allowed the harpy much time to talk. She pushed that to the back of her mind when she awoke, instead focusing on winning her first match.

By defeating Team KCUT in a close match, for some a little too 'close,' Team AART made their way into round two. From there, Auron and Airu pull off another victory against Pyrrha and Nora, making good use of their Semblances.

After Yang had been disqualified, and Mercury sent on his way with his prosthetics, Airu had her finals match against Penny. However, despite being caught before, Emerald managed to create the illusion to trick Airu into creating a gust of wind. In doing so, she regained her Aeroga spell and tore through the Android with the strings attached to her swords. In that moment, everything went to Hell.

Grimm, Fiends, and White Fang ran rampant through Vale and Beacon, destroying much of the school. Tidus, Pyrrha, and Jaune made their way to Beacon tower while Ruby and Airu got to Ironwood's ship.

Auron met up with Team CFVY and they were fighting together, or at least they were until Seymour summoned Anima. The Aeonic incarnation of his mother fired off its Pain attack at the Hunters. Four of which struck the members of Team CFVY, leaving them dead to rights, and enraging Auron. Anima was taking out by RagingKey before his revenge could be exacted, but his raw emotion unlocked the true power of Auron's Sphere Grid Semblance.

Airu and Ruby fought against Neo and Roman, the former of which had been blown away and zapped with lightning as she fell. Before they could claim victory over the crime lord, he pulled out a stone allowing him to summon the Dark Aeon, Valefore. Ruby was knocked off the destroyed ship, landing safely with the use of Crescent Rose, while Airu and the Dark Aeon engaged in a deadly battle of the skies.

In what seemed to be the end, Airu took the full force of Energy Burst, seemingly killing her. A voice rang in her head as her body burst into flames, before reforming from the ashes. She proposed one question to the crime lord, revealing his past and other sister, Julia, who was sick in the hospital. The two engaged in battle once more, the harpy giving Roman a merciful, if not gruesome, death to save his sister.

Ren, having landed in an abandoned district after defeating a powerful Fiend with the help of Ruby and Moon. There, he encountered Mercury and Emerald who were hell-bent on killing him. Not allowing that to happen, he managed to fight off the two of them. By cutting into Mercury's metal legs with Emerald's weapons, the gunslinger was able to freeze and destroy one leg, before he relearned his Elemental Bullet spells, and melted the assassin's other leg.

With one final bullet, Ren disposed of Mercury as Emerald pleaded for her life, with a wound in her leg. Ren's personality changed, becoming more gospel and thinking of himself as a god, and kept her alive. However, he carved out her eyes, ruptured her eardrums, and removed her tongue.

Auron, still angry with Seymour, chased after Yang and Blake, getting stopped for a moment. That was enough to watch as Yang's arm was removed by Adam Taurus. Before the White Fang leader could do more damage, the guardian quickly engaged in battle with the Bull Faunus and Dark Yojimbo.

After creating a fifth Overdrive, Zanmato, and using it to defeat the Dark Aeon, Adam activated his Semblance in attempts to kill Auron. The guardian barely raised Masamune in time to lessen the damage, but he still lost his left arm, right eye, and the blade was cut in two. Utilizing Copycat and the now unrestricted powers of Masamune, Auron and Adam clashed again, this time with the guardian coming out victorious and Adam in two pieces.

Tidus, Jaune, and Pyrrha made it to the vault, where they encountered Ozpin and the Fall Maiden. During the transferring of souls, Tidus was also affected, awakening the Aeon that sleeps within him, Odin. Despite their best efforts to stop Cinder, she still managed to finish off the Fall Maiden Amber and take the remaining half of her power.

Determined to stop her, Tidus and Pyrrha chased after the new Fall Maiden and engaged in a fight that would determine the fate of Beacon. While their powers were evenly matched, Cinder got the upper hand on Tidus just enough to bind him long enough to defeat Pyrrha and kill her before his eyes. Enraged, Tidus turned the tides and stabbed Cinder, before choking her with her own blood and tossing her off Beacon tower.

On the ground, Airu, Weiss, and Ruby were on their way to assist the two fighting atop the tower, when Cinder's body nearly fell on the harpy. Saving her life, Weiss pushed her girlfriend out of the way and took the impact. In that very moment, the Maiden powers were being sent to Spira, and the contact had transported the heiress as well.

In the aftermath of the Battle of Beacon, the teams were scattered and broken. Blake had run, Tidus was still asleep, Auron was recovering from the loss of limbs, Airu went to live with the Schnee's until they could find Weiss, Ren began working with General Ironwood, and Yang was back and home trying to adjust as well. In the three months (six in Spira) that they would rest, they would reflect on what they have lost, what they are losing, or where they are lost in.

* * *

 _Airu Mirai_

 _Age: 20_

 _Weapons: Genocide (Dual Fire/Ice Butterfly Swords), Repentance (Lighting Rapier), *Myrtenster*_

 _Semblance: Wind Control_

 _Magic: Aero, Aerora, Aeroga_

 _Auron Ronin_

 _Age: 26 (physically)/ 36 (10 years as an Unsent)_

 _Weapon: Shattered Masamune_

 _Semblance: Sphere Grid (Evolution of Breaker)_

 _Overdrives: Dragon Fang, Shooting Star, Banishing Blade, Tornado, Zanmato_

 _Ren Glain_

 _Age: 20_

 _Weapons: Skull Destroyers (Dual Pistols with Dust Dials and Baton Form), Armageddon (Lightning/Ice Gauntlets and Wind/Fire Greaves)_

 _Semblance: Digistruct_

 _Magic: Elemental Bullets_

 _Tidus Abe_

 _Age: 18_

 _Weapon: Calagblog and Champion's Spirit_

 _Semblance: Hydrokinesis_

 _Overdrives: Spiral Cut, Slice and Dice, Energy Rain, Blitz Ace, Jecht Shot_

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

 **(0:00 - 0:07) Instrumental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

 **(0:07 - 0:14) What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimmlands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

 **(0:14 - 0:18) Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

 **(0:18 - 0:22) Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in the darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

 **(0:22 - 0:29) In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone before she fades as well._

 **(0:30 - 0:37) There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

 **(0:38 - 0:50) I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the others seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

 **(0:51- 1:03) Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

 **(1:04 - 1:11) My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they duel. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

 **(1:12 - 1:19) Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

 **(1:20 - 1:30) In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

 **(1:30 - 1:38) We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a dark tower in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Alright, that is it for today. Now the next update won't be until two weeks from Tuesday, so not next week. This is because with me being at college I don't have as much time to write as I did before, so I want to keep a buffer in case things come up and I can't write for a while. That being said, I hope you all take care and I will see you in two weeks.**


	7. Chapter 1: White Walls

**It has come. After months of waiting, trailers, and a summary of the previous story, the time has come for the first official chapter of When Dreams Become Nightmares. This has been too long of a wait, but here it is. I will make a note that this story is going to be taking a darker turn than Remnant of a Dream, mostly due to a lot of the events that happened during the Battle of Beacon. Things have become real for a lot of the characters, and they are going to be fighting back. The first few chapters are going to be a little slow, just to establish what has happened in the three months since the Battle of Beacon, and to give each character a chance to begin their story their way. So, with out further adu, I shall cue the intro while you all sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

 **(0:00 - 0:07) Instrumental**

The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing.

 **(0:07 - 0:14) What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimmlands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends.

 **(0:14 - 0:18) Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss.

 **(0:18 - 0:22) Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in the darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand.

 **(0:22 - 0:29) In the** **end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone before she fades as well.

 **(0:30 - 0:37) There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea.

 **(0:38 - 0:50) I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the others seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost.

 **(0:51- 1:03) Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns.

 **(1:04 - 1:11) My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they duel. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard.

 **(1:12 - 1:19) Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins.

 **(1:20 - 1:30) In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon.

 **(1:30 - 1:38) We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a dark tower in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: White Walls**

 _It's been three months since everything went to Hell. The Grimm came, the Fiends close behind, and the White Fang on their heels. Beacon was torn apart and destroyed before our very eyes. We fought with all we could, but it wasn't enough._

 _As the dust settled, we truly saw all the destruction they caused. I had killed Penny, the quirky android, because my mind was tricked. Team CFVY was dead, killed by the Anima summon from Seymour. Pyrrha died at the hands of Cinder at the top of Beacon Tower, and Tidus killed her moments later. She fell on Weiss, and now she has gone missing, disappeared after she landed on her. Auron lost his entire left arm and right eye. Yang lost her right arm._

 _At least Cinder's faction is dead. Tidus choked her with her own blood, at least that was what the reports said. I left before he woke up, so he couldn't tell me himself. Mercury was shot between the eyes after Ren destroyed his legs. Auron cut down Adam, but they never found his body. I killed Torchwick out of pity, but not before I made a promise to him._

As she lied in bed, thinking about the past few months, Airu looked at her left hand. _There is more blood on these hands than anyone should have. I guess I should start cleaning them off._ Forcing herself out of bed, she walked across the white room, past the large glass window with white curtains, to the dressers on the other side of the room. She pulled out a light blue shirt and shorts and put them on, making sure to push her harpy wings through the slits in the back.

She walked over to the mirror and look at herself. _After the Battle of Beacon, Jacques Schnee, Weiss's father, invited me to stay with him and his family. I guess it was his way to cope with her being missing that he insisted on keeping me in her room and giving me all her clothes. He, well more of his service staff, have made sure I have been cared for and fed. Whenever I would offer to help cook or clean, they always insist that I let them take care of it. There have been a couple times they have kicked me out because I would wander down to the kitchen to make breakfast for Mother and Lutt, before realizing where I am. Guess old habits die hard._

A knock on the door shook her from her thoughts as she stared at herself in the mirror. "Come in," she called without looking back. She looked at the reflection of the door opening as Winter, Weiss's older sister, walked in.

"I see you're finally relaxing a little," she said as Airu turned to her, "Not trying to cook today?"

"Just thinking that's all." _I think I should probably fulfill that promise to Torchwick. What else do I have to lose?_ "Hey Winter?"

"Yes, Airu?" She looked to Airu with a curious eye.

"Do you think we can search by the Frozen Cliffs this time? Something about that place, it feels like it is asking me to search it." She turned away from her and stared out the large window before her.

"We can head out today if you like," she responded, "General Ironwood gave me an indefinite leave of absence while we look for Weiss. Do you think she might be there?" _Can I really lie to her?_

"I… don't think so." Airu turned back to Winter with guilt in her eyes. "Right before everything happened, I had a dream. Apparently, a distant ancestor of mine was trying to communicate while trapped where the ice freezes the hottest flames. I know it diverges us from our search for Weiss, but-"

Winter cuts her off by saying, "We'll do it."

"Really?" She stepped towards Airu and placed a hand on the young harpy's shoulder.

"Airu, you are a part of this family now. I just know that whatever you are going to do, it will be to make sure we can make this family whole again. If you want to go to the Frozen Cliffs, then that is where we will go. I will go get some warm gear and we can head out tonight."

She looked up to Winter with a sad smile. "We will also need to make one stop before then. A promise I made, and one I plan on keeping." She returns the expression.

"Not a problem, tell the pilot when we get on where to go first, alright."

"Alright." Winter gave the young harpy one last hug before leaving to make the preparations. Once the door closed, Airu sighed and fell back on the bed she had been using during her stay with the Schnee family.

After a couple of hours, Airu emerged from Weiss's room, hungry for some food. She walked through the white halls of the Schnee manor in her light blue garments, but stopped to look at the painting hung on the wall. The artist had painted a much younger Winter and Weiss with their mother and father, as well as their younger brother, Whitley.

"I see the animal has emerged from her cage once more," spoke said brother with the same snob tone she had heard the first day she met him.

 _Airu, dressed in her old combat gear, slowly walked down the halls of the Schnee manor for the first time. Jacques and Winter were on either side, showing her their home the former was so hesitant to offer. They passed by another door. "This is my office," began Jacques, "Unless I invite you in, it is off limits."_

" _Alright, I can live with that," replied Airu._

" _You better, I can just as easily put you back on the streets you came from." Airu bit her tongue at the racist remark. Despite not technically being a Faunus, she grew more and more sensitive to the discrimination they received. With her wings being so big, it was really hard not to notice them._

" _Actually, Mr. Schnee, before I came to Remnant," she began, having already told them that she wasn't from Remnant, "I had grown up in a manor as well, though much smaller."_

" _I see, and how big was your service staff?"_

" _You're looking at it." Winter and Jacques stopped walking for a moment and turned to the young harpy. "Mother, never actually learned her name or that is what I would call the bitch, made me do everything. Cook, clean, laundry, all because she hated these things." She pointed to the wings on her back. "My sister was half cat, but she didn't care as long as she wasn't a harpy. Damn bitch wanted to leave me on the streets."_

 _Jacques normally would have made some remark about it being where she belonged but decided against it. He would try to be nicer for his daughter's girlfriends. But that didn't stop his only son and youngest child, Whitley, from saying, "Maybe she should have. A no good animal like you belongs in the mines and bringing us Dust."_

 _Airu turned almost too quickly and nearly drew her rapier which was still at her side, but stopped herself from taking any violent measures. "Deep breath, deep breath," she told herself as she closed her eyes. She opened them to the younger boy walking over to them. "And you are?"_

" _You don't deserve my name, come back when you have cut off those filthy dust traps from your back. Mutts like you are lucky you get to work in the mines of the best company in the world, or you would just rot away in the streets." Airu clenched her fist but stopped herself from snapping at the snob in front of her. Winter, however, was the first to speak up._

" _You watch your mouth, Whitley," she spoke with a calm, yet commanding voice, "Is that how you treat an honorary guest in this house?"_

" _No, it is how I treat our slaves like her," he spat back and Airu couldn't take it anymore. She reeled back and knocked her fist into his jaw. The punch sent him stumbling back to his butt, as Airu tried to control her anger. Had he not had the Aura that protected his body, he would have lost a tooth or two._

 _Airu took a few more deep breaths as Jaques and Winter looked on in shock. "Winter?" she asked._

" _Yes?"_

" _Can you please take me to my room? I would like to take a while to calm down rather than kill your brother."_

" _Yeah, come with me." Winter led Airu down the halls towards the room where Weiss slept, but all the while hearing father and son argue about the decision to take Airu in._

Airu took a deep breath and turned to the male heir to the Schnee company. She took note of his short-sleeved white dress shirt, the sleeves fastened just above his elbows by navy blue cuffs, each with twin gold buttons. His untucked shirt he wore was a light blue vest, with a black handkerchief in his right breast pocket. A black necktie, navy blue trousers, and black dress shoes decorated the rest of his snobby white hair and personality.

"What is it that you need, Whitley?" she asked in as formal of manner as she could muster to him.

"Nothing in particular," he replied and turned to the painting she was just staring at, "Just remembering the times when my family was whole."

"I said I was going to find her."

"When?!" he turned to her with anger in his eyes. "When are you going to find her?! All I have seen you do is trash our facilities, taint my sister's bedroom, mope around and eat our food like a savage, and leave for days on end and return without my sister! I have had enough of your inability to do one simple thing!"

Airu allowed him to catch his breath as well as process what he had said to her. Calmly, she replied, "I am doing what I can. With her disappearing like she did, she could be anywhere. She could even be in… no that's not possible."

"What?"

"Nothing, a stupid idea came to mind. It's impossible. Forget I said anything."

"I try to." Airu shrugged and looked back at the painting again. After a moment of silence, she turned back to Whitley and continued walking.

"I am going down to lunch, do you want to come with me or do you want to keep treating me like I am not welcome?" He didn't respond, and Airu sighed again. "Look, I am not here to replace your sister, as much as your father is trying to do so. I am here for the same thing you are, to find Weiss. I don't want to lose her, as much as I know you don't either.

"Also, it would be good to actually talk to the Faunus once in a while. Learn what it is like to feel the way they do because of people like you. I have only been here a year and I can tell you it's bad. Why else would the White Fang have risen?" She continued walking a few more steps before stopping again. "And if you insist on not considering me a human, then you should know I am not an animal. I am a harpy, don't forget it." Airu walked off, leaving the heir to the company alone in the hall, staring at the picture of his family.

* * *

The Grimmlands, the land not under the protection of the four kingdoms, was a nasty a savage place. The Grimm, and now Fiends, wandered freely, only obeying orders from their masters. Any Hunter too stupid, or just unskilled, enough to take a wrong turn there, would wind up dead.

There was one place, however, that stood tall in the midst of all the chaos and destruction. The Queen's Tower reached heights the Nevermore wished they could touch. Inside one of the floors near the top, there was a room with a long, bone-white table. Four seats of many were filled, but that was all that was needed.

The first man sat in the formal clothing he wore to the Tower, a dark blue overcoat with yellow linings, with a yellow-buttoned black undercoat, yellow dress shirt, a black necktie and brown fingerless gloves. He pushed his short black hair back and brushed his bushy mustache with his hands as he looked to his other comrades.

Next to him sat another man with significantly more muscle mass. He had much shorter brown hair and hazel eyes as he crossed his arms over his gray and brown coat with yellow buttons and linings on it, and a large belt. Hair and scars covered his arms as he looked across from him to the man who crouched more than sat in his chair.

The pale man in front of him chuckled to himself as he caught the look. He rubbed his hands together as he awaited the arrival of his master. His brown hair tied back in a ponytail while he wore a white sleeveless jacket with leather belts strapped to it along with white pants. His jacket remained open, exposing his bare chest, crisscrossed with prominent scars. His arms were covered with purple bandages and leather vambraces. He also wore leather boots covering his entire shin with knee guards. On each earlobe he had a silver, ring-shaped earring, and near the top of his left ear, another matching earring.

"How much longer must we wait?" asked the formally dressed man.

"However long it must take for our leaders to arrive," replied the man sitting across from him. His skin was paler than the crouching man beside him with long black hair and a thick and wild black beard. He wore a black tank top with a black leather jacket over it. A brown glove covered his right hand, but exposed all fingers but his thumb. A pair of white pants covered his legs and black boots covered his feet. Strange markings of Grimm covered his arms and chest, though that could not be seen by the others at the current moment. "You must be patient, and maybe Mother will cater to you."

"Why do we have to be here?" asked the crouching man, "We should be out there, hunting down the man who bested Cinder and took the Fall Maiden from our grasps. Wouldn't you agree, Watts?"

"For once you make sense, Tyrain," replied Watts as he looked across the table.

"We must wait because we must be given instructions," responded the bearded man, "Only the guidance of our leaders will bring us to cleansing this world of sin."

"Buzzard, you-"

"Are completely correct my child," spoke the Queen of Grimm, Salem. She calmly walked in, dragging her long purple dress along with her as she took her place at the head of the table. Her pale face and red eyes looked to her subordinates and child of Grimm. Blue hair followed her with regal robes as the former maester, Lord Seymour Guado, took his place next to her.

"Now that we are all accounted for," he began, looking around the room, "I believe it is time to discuss our next move."

"That is quite right, my love." Salam looked to her subordinates. "Our first objective is to retrieve the Maidens. Unfortunately, due to Cinder's passing, we have to begin from square one and find the Fall Maiden once more. For now, I will need you, Dr. Watts, to meet with our informant in Mistral and ensure that the research continues as planned. Summer will accompany you as well, so take care of her."

"As you wish, milady," accepted Watts.

"Hazel." The muscle man looked up as his name was called. "I need you to make sure the White Fang is still on our side. After the death of Adam, we need to make sure Khan is accepting of the replacement."

"I can assure you that it is a perfect match," added Seymour.

"As you wish," he responded.

"Tyrain, keep searching for the Maidens and eliminate the dream of the fayth. Afterall, he is the one who defeated Cinder."

The crouching man just shrugged and turned to Seymour. "Anything you can tell me about him that I should know?"

"Don't underestimate the boy. He and that guardian managed to destroy Sin the first time, and we don't need them messing with his resurrection."

"Yes, my lord."

"What is it that you need me to do, Mother?" asked the Buzzard.

"Track down the Winter Maiden," replied Salam, "You can do as you please in as long as it gets done." She looked around at the group of men that sat before her. "You all are dismissed." Three of them stood up and walked out the door while the Buzzard transformed into his namesake bird and flew out the window.

"It seems we are alone now," confirmed Seymour as he stood from his chair.

"Don't you have to go check on some portal to another world?" she asked.

"I can spare an hour or two." He held out his hand to the Queen of Grimm. "Shall we?"

She took his hand with a smile. "We shall. Would you be so kind as to show me to the bedroom?"

"Why certainly." She stood from her chair as she followed Seymour out of the room, and to the bedroom she had across the hall.

* * *

Airu pulled her fur-lined shirt over her head and pushed her wings through the slits in the back. She moved to the bench next to her and checked her gear. Two butterfly swords, crafted by Oum knows who and fitted with two Dust chambers each. Each blade utilizes Burn and Ice Dust as wave based projectiles or can be released as a powder that can be ignited with her Semblance.

She strapped her swords to the back of her wings, just within reach when at full wing span. Airu then reached down to check her rapier with a Lightning Dust chamber in the hilt, allowing for electricity based attacks of projectiles. Like her butterfly swords, they were made by an unknown, and given as a gift. She places the blade on her left hip and adjusts her black shorts. _I really need to get some pants if I am going to be in the cold,_ she thought as she bent over to pick up the last piece of gear.

She wrapped her hand around the silver hilt of another rapier with a four-pronged guard facing downward. Inside the guard is a revolving chamber, each filled with various dust. "Myrtenaster is a fine weapon, isn't it?" asked a young male voice. Airu turned to find Whitley standing in the door. "The rapier is such a noble and graceful weapon. Myrtenaster is a perfect example of its beauty and grace."

"Yeah, it is," agreed Airu as she held the blade in her hand. She walked over to the youngest Schnee and held out the blade. "I believe this belongs to you." Whitley wrapped his hand around the hilt of the blade but stopped before he took the blade from her hand.

"No this doesn't. This is Weiss's." He pushed the rapier farther into Airu's hands and let go. "Return it to her for me. Use it to bring her back, and make this family whole again." He looked away and mumbled one last thing. "A family you will be a part of." Airu placed the blade on her right hip and looked up.

She placed a hand on Whitley's shoulder, forcing him to look up. "I promise, I will make this family whole again. Even if it costs me my life, I will bring her back to you. I promise." To the surprise of both of them, Whitley pulled Airu into a hug.

"You better." Before the young harpy could respond, Winter had walked into the room.

"I see you two are finally getting along," she said, causing Whitley to push Airu away and spit to the side.

"Friends with a filthy animal? Please."

"Aww, and I thought you were an eagle enthusiast," Airu teased as he growled and stormed out. She turned to Winter and asked, "So, are we ready to go?"

"Yes," replied Winter, "Our supplies are in the Bullhead." The sound of footsteps from behind them caught their attention. Airu turned to one of the butlers, Klein, as he carried a small wooden box in his hands.

"You requested this, Miss Miria," he stated as he held the box out.

"Yes, thank you," she replied as she took the box. Winter shrugs and the two continue walking.

"So, where to first?" asked Winter. Airu opened the box and pulled out the gray bowler hat and white cane.

"Atlas Medical Center."

* * *

 **And so the story beings. Airu has set out for Atlas Medical Center in order to fulfill the promise she made to Roman before she quartered him. Plus we have the return of the Buzzard, the apparent child of Salem because when evil beings have kids it always works out well. Anyways, this has been the start of her adventure, and she will actually be taking the forefront of the story early on, much like RNJR did during Volume 4. The other characters will still have their own events and roles, they won't all get the focus right away.**

 **Aside from that, nothing much to say. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, leave a review and I will try to respond when I can. Until then, I will bring you all another chapter in 2 weeks, so stay tuned.**


	8. Chapter 2: Guns and Roses

**Time for another chapter. This time we will be checking in on Ren Glain, and see how Team AART's gunslinger has adjusted in the past three months. We got a bit during the trailer, but this will set his story into motion.**

 **Special Thanks to alexwu for the first follow and favorite of the story. And to address your review earlier, all pieces are beginning to fall into place, and both sides are making moves.**

 **Anyways, the next chapter will be posted in two weeks, so stay tuned for that. Without any further adieu, I'll cue the intro while you all sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

 **(0:00 - 0:07) Instrumental**

The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing.

 **(0:07 - 0:14) What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimmlands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends.

 **(0:14 - 0:18) Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss.

 **(0:18 - 0:22) Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in the darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand.

 **(0:22 - 0:29) In the** **end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone before she fades as well.

 **(0:30 - 0:37) There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea.

 **(0:38 - 0:50) I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the others seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost.

 **(0:51- 1:03) Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns.

 **(1:04 - 1:11) My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they duel. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard.

 **(1:12 - 1:19) Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins.

 **(1:20 - 1:30) In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon.

 **(1:30 - 1:38) We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a dark tower in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Guns and Roses**

Ren drove his right hand into the red punching bag in front of him. He followed through with a left hook and continued his body's motions into a roundhouse heel kick. The gunslinger hopped back and struck with three hard punches into the bag. He followed the last punch with a leaping dropkick that nearly knocked the bag off its chain.

 _I am not crazy._ He thought to himself as he continued his assault on the bag. _I am not delusional. I don't hear voices. I don't hallucinate. I don't need to be placed in a straight jacket because I am a little violent._ He struck with his right fist hard. _I am not crazy!_ A left hook. _I am not crazy!_ A right uppercut. _I. AM. NOT. CRAZY._ With a left jab, he reeled back his right hand and punched the entire sand filled bag off the chain it hung from the ceiling with. _**Are you sure?**_

"What?" he asked to the empty room. He looked behind him as James Ironwood, the Headmaster of Atlas, talked with the former leader of Team RWBY, Ruby Rose. The two turned to the gunslinger from Team AART.

"About time you paid attention to your surroundings," said Ironwood.

"Sorry, I got a little lost in my head when I was training." Ren walked over to the wall and picked up a water bottle. After taking a drink, he asked, "So what were you saying?"

"Oh!" began Ruby, "General Ironwood was just asking me if I was sure I was ready for all of this." Ren nodded.

"Well, are you? You were never very sneaky."

Ruby gave Ren a pouty face as she replied, "I can be sneaky if I want to."

"Alright, alright," Ren held up his hands in defense. Ironwood cleared his throat, gathering the attention of the two.

"Ruby, may I speak with Ren in private now?" he ordered more than he asked.

"Yessir," she saluted as she zoomed out the door. The general's expression hardened as the door closed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Just fine, perfect health."

"That's not what I meant."

"I told you I am fine," Ren growled the last few words.

"Yet your tone says otherwise."

"I am not crazy! I am in perfect control of my actions!" Ironwood allowed a few moments for Ren to calm down before replying.

"I want you to look at this." James pulled out his scroll and handed it to Ren. "Our researchers have managed to develop a way to record the visual memories of someone. They decided to test it out on the woman you left for dead in the streets of Vale."

"She wasn't going to die, none of her injuries were fatal, I made sure of that."

"Just watch the video. I should also note that her thoughts at the time as well as some audio from what you said can be heard."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Ren stared at the scroll as the video began to play.

 _The video cuts to Ren holding Emerald's pistol to Mercury's head, his prosthetic legs both gone and destroyed. Emerald moved her head down and showed her other weapon, in kirigami form, embedded in her kneecap as blood trickled from the wound. She looked back up as the video Ren spoke. "Consider this, the Coup De Grace, Mercury!" The speech was followed by a single shot, placed cleanly between the eyes, into his head. He fell to his back with his limp skull turning toward her, eyes dead, as blood flowed from the head wound._

 _The gunslinger turned his attention towards the camera, or Emerald, as she covered her eyes._ _ **No, no,**_ _she thought,_ _ **Please no. This is not what I wanted. I didn't think we would actually kill, or that we would die. Cinder, was this your goal?**_ _More sobs followed as the clicking of a familiar revolver rang through the thoughts._ _ **Please, don't kill me.**_

 _The camera and her eyes panned upward as she looked down the barrel of her own gun. "Please… please don't… don't kill me… please," she pleaded through her sobs._

" _Why should I spare your life?" Ren asked, the revolver held steady at her head._ _ **Is… is he giving me a chance to plead my case?**_ " _You are involved in killing hundreds of people. You sit here and plead for your life, yet you can't bring yourself to fight." Ren pulled the trigger back just a little and a small click followed the motion. "Why should you be cleansed of your sins, rather than punished for them?"_

" _I didn't want this. I had nowhere else to go. I didn't want these people to die, I just wanted the world to change, because Cinder wanted it to change. Please let me go and I might be able to get out of all of this."_ _ **I could change, right? I could move somewhere else and start a new life. Just please let me live.**_ _Ren looked directly into the camera, into her eyes as she sat on the ground begging for her life._

 _The green revolver in his hand changed into its sickle form and Ren let out a sigh._ _ **Is...is he sparring my life? That means I am-**_ _Her thoughts were cut off by the weapon inching closer to her face. She continued to look into his eyes._ _ **He was always such a vivid character, so why is it that his eyes are so soulless?**_

" _I shall be the cleanser of your sins," he said, "Had you been faced with any other god, they would have killed you on the spot. But I am a forgiving god, pray to me and I shall let you live. I will cleanse you of your sins. So, do you accept my offer?" Emerald quickly shook her head up and down, causing the video to shake a little bit._ _ **I do whatever, just let me go. Let me live.**_

" _Very well then." Ren moved the sickle blade closer to Emerald's face, closer to the camera. "By the powers I possess, you shall see no evil!" The blade dug into her head just above her left eye. He slid the blade down as red covered half the screen before it went out._ _ **What the Hell is he doing? I thought he was going to let me live. It hurts. My eye. I can't see.**_ _He cut through the left eye again, cutting across the first wound. He moved the blade over to the second eye and cut through it. The camera went dead, but the audio worked fine as her screams of pain rang through the speakers._

 _ **Why is he doing this? I… I can't see. Everything feels so dark. I feel, alone. Is he shifting my gun again?**_ " _You shall hear no evil!"_ _ **Hear no evil! He doesn't mean-**_ _Once again, her thoughts were cut off by the crack of her revolver firing. Most of the outside sound became muffled as she once more cried out in pain._ _ **No, no, no! Please stop. I can't hear, I can't see. Please stop.**_ _Another crack came from the other side, and all outside noise was cut off. Not even Emerald's cries could be heard._

 _ **I can't hear, I can't see. I would rather die now. Just leave me. Wait! What are you doing? That is my tongue. Ow! That hurts! Stop! Stop! No!**_ _Silence followed for a moment before her thoughts came back._ _ **I can't hear, I can't see, now I can't even talk. I can't cry for help, I can't see where to go. I can't hear any noises. I am as good as dead. Just kill me now, kill me now. Please, kill me.**_

"We found her in an alleyway the next day," Ironwood spoke as he placed his scroll in his pocket. "Her face was covered in blood and she looked to have been crying. Our doctors are trying their best, but they are saying she is most likely going to be like this forever."

"All's fair in love and war," quoted Ren as he turned away from Ironwood, "And that proves nothing."

"It proves you could be unstable in the heat of the moment. Torture methods, unnecessary killing, ruthless killing. As long as you keep it under control, I have no problem with you working these missions. You show any signs of this again, I will be pulling the plug on you and sending you to get mental help."

"I don't need help, I am not crazy!" Ren took a couple of deep breaths and turned back to Ironwood. "I think you forgot one detail though."

"And what would that be?"

"I don't work for you. I am not some Atlas Specialist, I work for myself. At best I am a mercenary you hired, but you aren't paying me shit. So consider what I am doing as a favor." Ren turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

* * *

Ruby found Ren sewing Dust into his gauntlets a few hours later. His nimble fingers carefully worked the needle through the fabric and around the potent resource. She watched as he finished the portion he was working on before setting it down. "Hey Ruby," he said as he turned to her, "What's up?"

"Nothing, just seeing what you were doing," she replied, "If you're busy I can go."

"It's fine, I was just finishing up anyways." He stood up and stretched out his back. "I am going to get my gear loaded up, we leave in about an hour. You want to come?"

"Sure." Ren led Ruby out of the small workspace as he fit the gauntlets around his arms. He looked at the back of his hand as they walked, staring at his emblem printed on that side. A skull, cracked on the right side, and a gun facing outward on either side.

Ruby noticed the action and asked, "So why did you choose that as your emblem?" Ren snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the red reaper as they continued.

"Back on the Isle, my old guns had the symbol printed on the side," he answered. "I called them Skull Crushers, and I guess the emblem just stuck around."

"Does Airu's have something to do with her old weapons. I remember it was a skull with two large wings."

"No. It is because she was once given the nickname of 'The Harpy of Death.' She really embraced it at the time, but now I think she uses it as a reminder that of what she did." They reached the door they were looking for before Ruby could ask anything else and entered. Ren flicked on the light switch and crossed the room. "So, have you heard anything about your sister since you left?"

"No," she replied. Ever since the Battle of Beacon, the CCT towers had been disconnected and it has made communication extremely difficult. In fact, communication between Kingdoms has been near nonexistent, so small settlements had it the worst. "The last thing I was told is that my dad invited Auron to stay with them for a while."

"Yeah, he had it worse than Yang," he said as he pulled on a pair of boots also lined with a variation of Dust. "His entire left arm and right eye, it's amazing he still killed Adam in that condition." Ren grabbed his eyepiece and attached it to his head before turning on the built-in computer. Once he did a few small checks, he picked up his post-shot infusion Dust pistols and holstered them at his side.

"I guess, I am still worried though." Ren stood up and turned to Ruby.

"They'll be fine. Besides, we need to get going, Mistral is a good long flight and we would hate to piss off James anymore." Ruby giggled for a moment before the two exited the armory and continued down the hall. Together, they stepped out to the landing pad where their personal Bullhead was waiting. "Shall we?" _**This is going to be fun.**_ Ren looked around for the source of the voice, before shaking it off and ignoring it.

* * *

 **A little dark I know, but Ren's character is taking this type of turn. I wanted to show that shift in this chapter so you could get the sense that this is who he is slowly becoming. He may seem fine now, but there is no telling what the future holds. Also, pay attention to when the text gets like _this_. It will come into play soon as well. **

**Anyways, until 10/17, may fortune be upon you... damn that sounded stupid.**


	9. Chapter 3: A New Handle

**Alright guys here's the next chapter. Sorry this came out so late at night, but I was busy with some assignments. They don't make college easy. Anyways, this next chapter will focus on Auron and how his story will begin anew. I also got a couple of reviews last chapter about how you all think Ren is going to have to give into the darkness, you right, but not in the way you think.**

 **Big thanks to luckmaster1 for the follow, that means I have one more person likely to read this story.**

 **Without further aidu, I'll cue the intro while you all sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instrumental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimm Lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the others seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 3: A New Handle**

Auron emerged from the woods the same as how he entered, unscathed and his broken sword strapped to his back. The thin snow crunched under his boots as he followed the path he had taken earlier. Most of the snow had melted, but there still existed enough to cover the ground in white. Made sense, considering it was part of the White Woods, a peaceful forest that was covered with snow ten months of the year.

The former guardian continued on, the sun reflecting off of his sunglasses that once belonged to Coco Adel. The rays of sunlight illuminated his face just enough to see the scar that ran along his right eye. His hair was much shorter at the top, yet he kept the ponytail that fell over his shoulder as he looked around the calming fields. "Almost as peaceful as the Calm Lands," he said to himself, "Almost."

He kept moving forward, swinging his right arm back and forth with his steps. His left arm existed no more after being completely removed, cut off at the shoulder. Eventually, he reached his destination. He stood before a two-story house with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a large, lush green yard.

As he made his way up the steps of the porch, he ran his one arm along the wood railing. He opened the front door, took off his boots, and walked into the house. Taiyang Xiao Long, the father of Ruby and Yang, stood hunched over the sink washing dishes. Yang was, as usual, in front of the TV, sulking and moping as she watched the news. Auron sighed and made his way to the nearby weapons rack, where he carefully placed the broken blade, Masamune.

Auron entered the bathroom on the first floor. He took the time to look into the mirror and look at his face which nearly matched the one he had in Spira after being dead for ten years. The past three months proved stressful and aged him significantly, losing the youthful appearance he had received upon arriving in Remnant. He sighed again and stepped out, making sure to stop in the kitchen.

Taiyang had a sizable liquor cabinet, mostly for whenever Qrow stopped by, and Auron knew that. The former guardian opened up the cabinet and found what he was looking for, a bottle of sake. He had already taken a sip by the time he closed the door and walked over to Taiyang. "Need some help?" he offered,

"No, I just finished," Taiyang replied as he set the last plate in the cupboard above, "So, how was your small trip?"

"Fine, I paid my respects and took out the Fiends and Grimm that were around."

"At least you trying to adapt to combat again." Auron took another sip of his sake and looked over to the couch. Yang sat in the dark living room with the only thing illuminating her face being the holographic television. "My own daughter won't even try and spar with me anymore. I know she lost, but she is taking this way too hard."

"She lost her arm," Auron said plainly. "I think you are trying too hard to get her up, that you can't lower yourself down to her so you can understand what she is going through."

"So what do you suggest I do?"

"Let me talk to her." Auron took another swig of the sake before setting it down. He walked out of the kitchen into the living room. He took Yang by her left arm and dragged her off the couch.

"Hey!" she cried, "Let me go!" Auron ignored the blonde's complaints as he took her out the back door that was left open. He tossed her into the lush grass that made up the yard and he grabbed the broom leaning against the house. Yang stood back up and brushed some grass off her grey jacket that she wore over an orange tank top. Her flowing blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail and her usually bare legs were covered with a pair of skin-tight blue jeans.

"If you wanted me to clean, you could've just asked." Auron chuckled and placed the broom on his shoulders, mimicking his usual fighting stance.

"We are sparring," he declared. Without warning, he charged forward and swung the broom at her left side. Yang froze up and allowed the telegraphed attack to strike her in the shoulder. She stumbled back with a look of shock.

"What the Hell was that for?" she complained.

"I told you, we are sparring." Auron twirled the broom in his hand and drove the handle into her gut with enough force to knocked her on her back. Yang slowly got up to her feet, struggling to find her balance with her one arm. Auron grinned as she turned to him but soon lost it as she began to walk back to the house.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't feel like it." As she passed Auron, he spun the broom in his hand again, this time hooking her foot with the brush and took out her legs, literally sweeping her off her feet. She fell face first in the dirt and groaned.

"You don't have a choice in the matter," he said as he walked back a little further to guard the house. He watched as she struggled back to her feet again and pointed the broom at her. "You can go inside once you manage to defeat me."

"Then I guess I better get used to sleeping out here then," she replied dejectedly, which earned her a strike from the wooden broom that sent her on her back. She stared up at the clouds above and said, "Just leave me here, it's not like I will be much use anywhere else."

"So that is the fall of the mighty dragon," Auron said, "One small handicap and she has given up. She would rather watch as her friends and family die in battle because she is wounded. Maybe you should just stay there then." Auron turned around as Yang struggled back to her feet.

"What do you mean small handicap?!" she cried, "I lost my damn right arm."

"You still have your left." As if to hammer the point in further, Auron turned on his heel and struck her hard in her left arm with the broom. "Are you really going to let one arm be a deciding factor in your effort. Ruby watched as her best friends disappeared and her sister mope around with one arm, yet she is still out there fighting. Blake was nearly killed by her former mentor and is on the run, yet I can tell she is still fighting. And Weiss, she is Yevon knows where and is fighting for her life because we all know she is too stubborn to die." Auron points the broom at the blonde in front of him as she brushed off more grass. "So tell me, what excuse do you have to not fight, to not look for them?"

"Because… because I can't." Yang hung her head in depression.

"Why can't you?"

"How can I? All I do is punch things and now I can't even do that." She swung her stub of an arm to prove her point. Auron responded with an overhanded strike to her right that sent pain through the dead nerves.

"How about you open your eyes and look at me! You lost your arm, well he took that and my right eye. Adam took yours and he took mine, only he took mine because he missed. He wanted Blake to suffer, so he made a showing of you. If he wanted you dead, you would have a lot more than an arm to worry about.

"And to make matters worse, you didn't have to watch someone you love die in your arms!" Yang's head shot up at the revelation, not realizing he was there when Coco was killed by Anima. The guardian took a moment to calm himself as his usual stoic tone returned. "I watched as each of them was blasted through the chest, one-by-one, by Anima. I cradled her in my arms as she bled out through the hole that once contained her heart. You may have lost an arm, a friend, and had two of the closest people to you disappear, but I lost them too. You don't see me moping around, do you?" Yang shook her head, partially in fear.

"No, you don't. That's because I understand that I have suffered, but I am still here. I haven't given up because I know that when I do, the people who made sacrifices for me, the people I made sacrifices for, and the people who care or had cared about me will have been let down. I am still here fighting because I understand this and I am willing to keep fighting to make sure others won't suffer the same fate. I would hate to see you fall victim to this fate, so I will make sure you fight again."

Auron spun the broom in his hand and laid it to rest on his shoulders. "Come at me with all you got!" He charged forward and thrust the broom towards her midsection. She tried to dodge but reacted a little too late and the brush end nicked her gut and sent her stumbling back. The former guardian continued the assault with a side slash towards her left side. Yang managed to block the strike with her forearm and went for a counter strike with her right, only to remember that she lacked the appendage necessary for the action.

Auron took advantage and pushed forward and tilted the broom downward. He hooked the back of her knee as he was inches from her face, before bringing the brush end back and hamming his forehead into hers. Yang landed on her back and quickly rolled out of the way of an overhead strike aimed for her face. She quickly made it to her feet and caught the incoming strike aimed for her right with her left arm.

She dragged him closer using the broom, but this time she let go just in time to connect a strong left jab to his face. Auron staggered back and Yang went in for a left hook. He moved to the side to avoid the strike and spun, bringing the broom around his body to strike her gut. Once again she caught the broom and ripped it from his hands.

The two faced each other, the lone weapon having switched hands, and both grinned like they were enjoying the fight. Yang tossed the broom to the side and charged in while Auron remained put. She let loose a flurry of kicks with a punch or two mixed in, to which Auron either blocked with his right arm or dodged altogether. One wild haymaker slipped past his defense and struck his face while he knocked her back with a boot to the chest.

Both stumbled back and looked at each other once more. Yang had a few bruises, mostly from the broom, but still felt the Semblance climbing. Auron, unnoticed by her, had used Copycat to gain the same effect as a few bruises began to show on his face. He looked over his sunglasses, which had remained completely fine during the spar, and chuckled to himself that Yang was actually fighting. "Don't tell me that's all you got!" he taunted.

If she could, she would've cracked her knuckles as she responded with, "Not a chance in Hell, Old Man." She raised her one fist as Auron did the same. A silent signal went off and the two charged at one another, ready to throw a punch with everything they had. Their fists connected together, and the force from their increased power actually ripped through the air around them.

The two stayed connected like this for a moment before Auron brought his arm back, shaking it as it began to hurt. "Damn that hurt," he said. She wouldn't admit it, but the clash hurt her hand too.

"It's good to see you are in a better mood now," Taiyang said, catching their attention as he walked towards them. A large smile ran across his face as he looked at his daughter. "Why don't you go inside, dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

"That depends," she replied, looking to Auron. The former guardian smiled and nodded, allowing her to enter her own home. He watched with Taiyang as the blonde brawler ran inside, leaving the two alone in the backyard.

"Thank you, Auron," Taiyang said, breaking the silence.

"It's not a problem," he replied, "I knew she had it in her, she just needed to realize that she can't give up because she lost something. That is something I learned long ago." Auron scratched the back of his head with his one arm. "And I apologize for slapping her around with your broom."

Taiyang let out a light-hearted laugh at the guardian's comment. "You have nothing to apologize for. I would have done the same thing if I wasn't worried about someone walking through the door and calling the police for child abuse." He slapped Auron on his back, causing him to stumble forward. "Come on, I have a bottle of sake with your name on it and a pot of ramen waiting to be eaten."

"Well, that I can't refuse." The two grown men laughed as they went inside until a lone thought passed by the former guardian's mind. _I wonder how Tidus has been keeping up these few months._

* * *

 **And that's that. Auron once more acting as the mentor to those around him, yet still playing the part of the guardian trying to protect all. His motives may have shifted, but he is who he is. Anyways, not much else to say on all of that, but by the ending line you can guess who we will visit next. Until the next time, in two weeks, have a good night.**

 **P.S. Bonus points for those who find the hidden pun.**


	10. Chapter 4: A Change in the Tides

**Don't worry guys, I am still here and I have the chapter ready for you all to enjoy. Sorry about updating this a day late, but yesterday was Halloween and I was a bit busy dealing with things on my end. However, it is the beginning of November, and the new chapter is here before you. Again I am sorry, but it is here now, so stop listening to me ramble on about nothing and sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instramental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop a altar in the middle of the Grimm lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the other seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prostetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 4: A Change in the Tides**

"Are you sure you want to go against all seven of us?" asked Hinoka Arc, the oldest of the seven sisters. After waking up in the hospital, Tidus found that the rest of his team had already left. Airu had left a few days after the Fall of Beacon and had been staying with the Schnee's ever since. _Yevon knows how Jaques will treat her._

Not long after that, Auron took off to stay with Yang and her family in Patch, so that meant Tidus hadn't talked to him in around three months. Ren apparently had been spotted in Vale, but nobody knew where he was. Tidus had been asleep for a week in the hospital. Jaune happened to be there visiting at the time, and one thing led to another and Jaune invited the dream to stay with him and his family until things calmed down.

The Arcs treated Tidus very well, welcoming his into their manor as a guest and ensuring he recovered well. They allowed him to make some adjustments to his weapons, one of which ran veins of water through his clothing rather than having the weird bag on his back. The one thing he refused, however, was allowing the staff to fix the tattered ends of his clothes as he liked the new look.

Tidus particularly appreciated the training he got from Jaune's seven sisters, all of whom were accomplished Huntresses all around Remnant. Each of them had helped accelerate his and Jaune's training in different ways, and the progress was showing as a couple of times the two managed a couple of victories during spars.

"I am sure," Tidus replied, confirming his challenge against the entire Arc family sans Jaune and his parents. This brought a grin to Hinoka's face as she took her spear off her back and twirled in her hand. Unlike most polearmsTidus had seen, she held this one closer to the center where the spear also acted as a shield.

"You got guts kid, but don't think we are going easy on you," she said. Hinoka was the oldest of the Arc sisters and had short, red hair. She chose lighter armor to allow for mobility, and there were times she seemed so light that she would fly. The white armor covered her upper body and formed around her chest as needed.

On either side of her stood her six younger sisters, all older than Jaune. On her right was the closest sister in age to her, Kagero. She had dark brown hair that reached down past her shoulders. An orange scarf wrapped around her neck and light, silky armor covered her body. While it seemed minimal, it allowed her to sneak much more efficiently and take her opponents by surprise like any good assassin. At the declaration of the challenge, she silently drew a pair of short daggers from the row of knives that lined her belt.

To the right of Kagero, Hana Arc placed her hand on her katana. She had a lighter shade of brown hair and wore more traditional armor that either of her older sisters. A light breastplate rested on her chest over her pink garbs. While not as strong as Hinoka or as sneaky as Kagero, Hana made up for that with her speed. Tidus found that out early when she practically struck him five times when he only saw one attack.

The farthest to the right was the youngest of the Arc sisters, Selena Arc. Much like her eldest sister, she had bright red hair, though much longer and tied into pigtails. Her main armor was that of a brown leather top with white sleeves and a red armguard on her left arm. Even with the heavier armor, however, she is quite nimble, and with one good hit or two from her longsword, she can practically regenerate her Aura when she is cornered and beaten down.

On Hinoka's left, the middle sister pulled on the string of her bow. Setsuna had short teal hair that covered hid her left eye and the gloves to match. She also had light garbs that allow for added flexibility and agility that look more like that of a hunter, rather than a Hunter. Her skill with the bow is unmatched with eyesight that rivals that of eagles, and a quiver of Dust tipped arrows to take advantage of any situation. Even at close range, she is skilled enough with her kurkuri knife to ward off attacks long enough to get a good shot.

Next to Setsuna, stood her year younger, yet bustiest of them all, sister Charlotte. With long blonde hair and a very distracting chest, she proved to be a menacing opponent. As a master of the innocent damsel, Charlotte would often lure her opponents into dropping their guard before ravaging their bodies with her war axe. And much like Yang, she gets stronger as she takes more damage, though her attacks have a much darker force driving them and require her blood actually to be spilled before she can honestly use it.

Lastly, on the far left side of the line, Oboro Arc twirled her naginata in her hands as she waited for the signal to start. Her nimble fingers danced around the polearm as she brushed her blue hair, tied in a ponytail, out of her face. Much like her other sisters, she trained to fight Grimm, but she seemed to have a certain bloodlust towards the creatures of darkness.

Tidus looked down the line of sisters as he pulled his weapon, Caladbolg, from the sheath he kept on the small of his back. Once his blade was in his hand correctly, he flicked his left wrist and the copper gauntlet transformed into the Champion's Spirit. "Don't worry about going easy; I was looking for a challenge."

"Alright then," said Hinoka as she turned to her brother standing off to the side, "On your signal Jaune."

"Alright," he accepted. "Ready!" The seven sisters drew their respective weapons and took their battle stances while Tidus did the same. Once he made sure everyone was ready, Jaune nodded and announced, "GO!" His seven sisters charged first as they surrounded the dream who had decided to play the defensive first.

Selena struck first, her slender longsword slicing through the air towards Tidus's left side. He dodged to the left and swung his sword up to cut through an arrow and redirect a knife. Tidus let the motion carry him as he spun through the air, with a little assistance from the water lining his clothing, and threw his blitzball at the axe wielder below him, striking her axe that she brought up to block.

Hana waited for him as he landed, her sword at her hip for a quick strike. Pulling on the water, he slowed his decent enough to avoid the slash while the return of his blitzball knocked the katana aside. Tidus took full advantage and swung his blade, only to land a glancing blow on her shoulder as the shielded polearm knocked the Celestial Weapon aside.

Tidus rolled as he hit the ground and caught the Champion's Spirit in his left hand. Hinoka stabbed forward with the end of her spear and Tidus backflipped out of the way and sent a wave from his feet around, deterring any sneak attacks and deflecting the incoming arrow. The eldest sister stumbled back from the stream as Tidus threw another hard pass from his copper blitzball, to which she barely brought her shielded spear up in time to deter it from hitting her.

Before he could press his attack, Tidus parried the two incoming swords coming at him, directing one to block a knife trained for his head. He spun out of the way of another arrow and caught his ball upon its return and threw towards the archer. Setsuna stood emotionless as she knocked away the projectile with her bow, only to find Tidus closing the distance too quickly for her taste. The dream swung forward in a slash that would have cleaved anyone in two had they not had Aura, or a naginata to parry the blow.

Tidus and Oboro struggled for power before the former was forced to back off as a Kagero went for a slash upon his side with her daggers. He recalled Champion's Spirit to his hand and jumped back to avoid another arrow. Before he could launch another ranged attack, his instincts told him to turn and block as Charlotte tried to bring her axe down upon his skull. She hooked the bottom of her axe blade on his blade and tried to rip it from his grasp, only for Tidus to slam his blitzball into her chin with commanding force. She stumbled back, and he continued his motion, using her axe and his sword as a pivot point to land a dropkick and throw blitzball at the incoming Hana.

Charlotte was knocked to the ground, unhooking Tidus' blade as he continued his flight pattern. The blitzball caught Hana by surprise, allowing it to knock her in the head and caused her to stumble as well. Tidus's body to glow white with energy as he felt his Overlimit energy kick in. He finished his flip and brought Caladbolg above his head as Champion' Spirit returns to his hand. "Spiral Cut!" he chanted as his blitzball reformed into a gauntlet around his hand. He performed one more flip before descending with his blade out, slashing across the stunned Hana's chest.

The Overlimit sent Hana flying past her other sisters who quickly surrounded Tidus. He barely had enough time to block an incoming longsword with his own as two knives slashed across his back. He moved his head to avoid another arrow as he blocked a polearm with his gauntlet. Tidus tried to send a watery slash around his entire body, but an axe looked around his foot, taking out from under him and knocking him to the ground while splashing the water across his face. Before he could blast water from around his body, he found two knives placed on either side of his neck.

He sighed and raised his hands in defeat. "Looks like you girls win again," he said admittingly. The Arc sisters recognized his surrender and grinned in respect. Kagero replaced her daggers on her hips while Hinoka held out her hand to help him up. Tidus accepted it and hopped up to his feet.

"You weren't too bad yourself," she replied, "You even managed to land a pretty good shot on Hana. Keep it up, and no Grimm or Fiend will stand in your way."

"Thank you, and I will." Hinoka slapped the dream on the back, forcing him to stumble forward.

"Of course you will, now come on, I think lunch is ready." The Arc sisters turned towards the house with Tidus in tow. Jaune joined up with them a moment later as they entered the large manor. As they walked the halls, the sisters each said hello to their mothers. Seven sisters from seven different mothers. This confused Tidus at first, but Jaune explained that they were all accepting of his father's actions, even noting that he has a separate mother from his sisters, who was usually away on missions around the Kingdoms.

The dream and the knight made it to the dining room with the seven sisters and found the large round table with thirteen chairs, two of which were occupied. Lie Ren and Nora sat, already enjoying the lunch provided. Set out on the table was a large basket containing small sandwiches made with a variety of lunch meats and cheese.

Much like Tidus, Lie Ren and Nora had nowhere to go after the Battle of Beacon. They were reluctant at first, but soon decided to stay with Jaune and his family would be better than living in the woods alone.

Taking note of the group approaching, Ren and Nora looked up from their conversation and waved down the Arc family and Tidus. Jaune and Tidus took their seats on either side of the RN of JNPR while the sisters sat on the other side of the table, leaving one chair in between the Hunters-in-training and the Huntresses themselves on either side.

"How was the training?" Ren asked after finishing his last sandwich and wiping off his lip.

"He managed one good shot on Hana," Jaune replied simply. He looked up in thought as if he was trying to remember the spar just a few minutes before. "He spent most of his time dodging their attacks or trying to find openings. That new ball you got seems to help with keeping others from getting too close."

"Thanks," said Tidus as he looked at his copper gauntlet, "My friend back in Spira was pretty effective at using it as a weapon, so I figured it would help with ranged attacks as opposed to always relying on water."

"It is quite effective, none the less," added Ren, "How you managed to make it cut through air and water with no resistance is quite a remarkable use of Wind Dust." From there, everyone ate in silence, enjoying the lunch that was so neatly displayed in front of them, most likely made by the cooperation of the seven Arc mothers who were home.

The silence was soon broken, however, when Hinoka asked the question that was on every sister's mind, "When are you guys planning on leaving for Vauco?" Tidus turned to the eldest Arc sister to answer, but Jaune beat him to the punch.

"Tomorrow morning," answered Jaune. He took another bite and swallowed before continuing. "We heard some rumors about a new faction in Vauco that is working against the White Fang. Apparently, the leader is a cat Faunus going by the name of 'Kuro,' and Tidus has a hunch that it's Blake."

"In that case, you better make sure you guys are ready to go. We have taught you all that we can, so the most we can do is wish you all good luck."

"Thank you," replied Tidus, "We will make sure your training didn't go to waste." Tidus, Nora, Jaune, and Ren stood up from the table. "Together as a new team, Team TNJR (Teenager)."

"Go get 'em kids; we'll just be a call away if you need us." Tidus nodded and turned to his new team, who bowed as well.

"We better make sure we are ready to go then," said Jaune.

"This will be a long and perilous journey," Ren added, "One last check of our gear wouldn't hurt before we set out."

"Ren's right," agreed Tidus with a nod, "Let's all check our gear tonight, get a good night's sleep, and be ready to leave by sunrise." He looked to the three as he gave his 'orders,' and got only one question from the pancake lover of the team.

"How are we going to get Blake to come back with us?" she asked intelligently. Tidus looked at her as he pondered the question and came up with only one answer, one that he felt he was going to be using a lot.

"I don't know, but I'll think of something." _I'll think of something, just like I have always done. It shouldn't be too hard, right?_

* * *

"And that class is why you should never fight a Bashura with your bare hands," announced Jecht as he spoke to the classroom he was in. The small class of around thirty Hunters-in-training were surprised when their teacher, Mr. Branwen, had brought in a guest speaker. Mr. Jecht Abe walked into the classroom half drunk and shirtless, exposing his scarred torso and tanned skin to the class, and began recounting a tale of when he tried to fight a Bashura on Mt. Gagazet with only his hands. During the course, he had adjusted his black shorts a few times to keep them up without a belt and even had to take off the orange sash with the Zanarkand Abes logo and placed it on Qrow's desk.

During his drunken recount of his interesting escapade, he often ran his hand through messy black hair, kept up by a red headband. Qrow's intention of bringing what he called his Spirain counterpart to his class was so he could give them a first-hand account with dealing with the Fiends. What he did not expect, and to the misfortune of his students, was that Jecht decided to get a few drinks before coming in. His slurred story was often corrected by the assigned teacher to preserve the secrets of Spira but allowed the actual combat and story to be told through the slurred speech of Jecht.

Qrow clapped his hands together as he rose from his desk to hopefully regain control of his likely scarred class. "Well, Mr. Abe," he began, searching for the words to use in front of his class, "That was an interesting tale. I wish we could hear more but class is over. You are all dismissed." Upon his permission, the students bolted out of the door in speeds that could put Ruby to shame.

"What's got their panties in a bunch?" Jecht asked as he leaned back in the spinning chair he had taken from a student. The shift in motion caused the seat to rotate around and giving the drunk a strong feeling of nausea. He stopped himself and tried his best to hold his lunch while he looked to Qrow.

Said teacher took a sip of his flask and let out a deep sigh. "I think it was the drunk guy stumbling into the classroom that sent them for a loop."

"So you got here drunk too, huh?"

"No Jecht, you did." Qrow leaned back in his chair as he stuffed his flask back in his shirt. "I can't believe I am saying this Jecht, but your drinking is becoming a problem. You need to cut back."

"And what about you?" Qrow raised an eyebrow to Jecht.

"Me, I can at least control my drinking. I know how much I can drink at what time and what situation. For example, I may have a swig every hour or so when I am teaching, but if I am home alone, I will get hammered and not care. You don't have that control, at least not yet."

"Whatever, I can drink as much as I want and be fine," Jecht scoffed as a reply. He aggressively got up from his chair and started for the door when Qrow got his attention again.

"Didn't you tell me that the last time you got drunk in Spira, you attacked a shoepuff." Jecht sighed in defeat.

"Yeah, Braska had to spend some of his own travel money just to pay for the damages. After that, I vowed to be sober for the rest of my life. Ya know, I technically followed through with my promise." Qrow chuckled softly to himself as he stood up from his desk.

"I am not saying you have to quit. I just don't want you to fall down that path again." As Qrow approached his drunk friend, he wrapped his arm around his shoulder, and the two walked down the halls. "So, is there a reason you have decided to stay with me rather than go see your son or friend. Hell, the, as you call him, old bastard is just about twenty miles from my place."

Jecht thought about it for a minute. "I am afraid. I haven't quite gotten control of my Semblance yet, and sometimes it flares out of control. Especially when I think back to Spira, the only time it doesn't is when I am drunk. But of course I would hate to see them when I am drunk, and I don't want to hurt them."

"Yeah, that would be troublesome. You might want to get that under control sooner rather than later."

"What, my drinking or my Semblance?" Jecht asked with a surprising amount of comprehension considering his state of mind.

"Both, my friend." Qrow slapped the former blitzball legend on the back, sending him forward a little bit due to the force of the smack. "Now, I need you to come with me. Ironwood sent me some new toys. One for my niece, and another for your friend. I want to check them out and have them ready to be finalized when they get here."

"Yeah, sure," Jecht replied weakly as he continued to stumble forward. He caught himself before he crashed into the wall, placing his right arm on it to steady himself. "Just gotta sleep the booze off, ya know." With those words, he rested his head on the wall and drifted off to sleep as he slid down the wall.

"Eh, I've fallen asleep at worse times."

* * *

 **And that's all for today folks. We got some insight on to Tidus's whereabouts and recovery, saw their plans for their adventure, and even got to check in on Qrow and Jecht as they stumble around. What could Jecht's Semblance be? We will find out in due time.**

 **For those of you who may have noticed some striking similarities, Jaune's sisters are based off of characters from _Fire Emblem Fates,_ which is why I was then hard pressed to explain that many different hair colors (dammit Japan). Anyways, I don't plan on them becoming a huge factor in the story, but then again, who knows where inspiration will lead me. **

**In two weeks, on Tuesday, there will be the last solo character-centric chapter before we start really digging into the meat of the story. This story is a bit slower overall compared to ROAD, but I think it could be for the better. Until then, have fun sleeping off the hangover from those Halloween parties, and as always, have fun.**


	11. Chapter 5: Six Months

**Welcome back everyone, here for another chapter I see. I even managed to get this out before noon this time, because I decided to say fuck it and do it now. In reality, I just needed to go through and do some last minute edits after my beta went through it a couple of weeks ago. To address the review left last chapter, the challenges that lie ahead will not be what you'd expect, especially not a first.**

 **Anywho, this week we will be checking in on Weiss and the Gullwings as their story begins as well. What lies ahead for our favorite Sphere Hunters and their Huntress-in-Training companion. Read to find out. I'll cue the intro while you all sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instramental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimm Lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the others seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Six Months**

After defeating the imposter, Leblanc, and her lackeys, the Gullwings returned to their airship, the _Celsius._ Rikku entered the control room contained within the bridge first, followed by Yuna- who was still wearing the blue dress that the imposter was adorning during the concert -, Paine, and then Weiss.

"You sure looked like you were enjoying yourself," Rikku told Yuna, enticing a laugh from the Ex-Summoner.

"I was," Yuna admitted, "It felt like some other person's excitement just took over my body."

"It looked like it to me," added Weiss.

"That can happen when you use the Garment Grid," confirmed a muffled and slightly modified voice. The owner of said voice was a young, Al Bhed technical prodigy, Shinra. He wore a full body brown bodysuit with blue color added from the knees down, lime green gloves, and a mask with an ochre visor.

"Why is that again?" Weiss asked. Even if she had learned a lot about Spira since her arrival six months ago, there was still a lot that she was ignorant about the unfamiliar world. _Thank Oum for the Fiend Studies class Professor RagingKey taught, even if the man seemed as if he had no experience teaching. I wouldn't have lasted two days here without it. Well maybe I would, considering Yuna found me on the beach, but on my own, I would have been dead._

"The emotions of the person recorded on the sphere transfer to the user," Shinra replied.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Rikku asked.

"I can't really say."

"But it's your invention," argued another Al Bhed man. Unlike the child prodigy, he dressed in much lighter clothing consisting of a light blue tank top with blue-grey shorts. Two grey bracers cover his forearms and hand, adorned with plenty of buckles, and a pair of goggles rest over his eyes.

"I'm just a kid, Buddy," quipped Shinra. Buddy sighed and turned back to his job of navigating the ship. Another Al Bhed, one who had what seemed to be less intelligence, cleared his throat as he stood up.

"Dancing Yuna? I want to see," he declared. While he and Buddy did share the same heritage, their clothes did differ. Instead of a shirt, he went topless, displaying his tattoo that rested on his lower torso. A black pair of suspenders covered his lower region while braces similar to Buddy's covered his forearms. His hair was kept in a short, blonde mohawk, h the same color as his sister Rikku.

"It'll cost you," replied Yuna.

"One moment." The hyper Al Bhed started digging into his pocket, most likely looking for some Gil to pay for the dance.

"She's kidding, Brother," confirmed Paine, in a stoic tone that often reminded Weiss of someone else she knew.

"What! No dance?" Before anyone else had a chance to respond, a blaring signal went through the bridge, alerting the Gullwings of something.

"Ehlusehk tydy! Gullwings, du ouin cdydeuhc! ( _Incoming data! Gullwings to your stations!)_ " declared Brother, unconsciously slipping into the language of the Al Bhed again. Weiss, despite only being in Spira for about six months, had picked up the language fairly quickly, recognizing the pattern of switching letters from her usual English. Past that, it just took practice, and the last six months have provided that through her time with the Gullwings.

"How long will it take to analyze?" Weiss asked, figuring she would have some time to relax.

"Dfahdo sehidac," Brother replied, before realizing he was still speaking his native language. "Sorry, twenty minutes."

"Alright, thanks," Weiss replied. She turned and started to leave, but the voice of Brother caught her attention.

"Weiss… has my talking… gotten better?"

"Yeah, you have gotten better." As she continued walking, she turned to the thoughts in her head, the ones that distract her during her walk to the cabin. _It's been six months. Since months since the tournament, since the Battle of Beacon, and since I arrived here in Spira. It's just as beautiful as Tidus and Auron had told me. As beautiful and peaceful as it is, I still miss everyone. I miss my team, my friends, my family. And most of all, I miss Airu._

 _Even so, it's not like I haven't made friends since I've gotten here. Almost as soon as I got here, Yuna showed me around the village with Wakka before we left and joined Rikku as Sphere Hunters. There, I met everyone part of this new team. Everyone who helped Yuna and Rikku conquer Sin._

 _Yuna, she's nice. Kind, strong, and always looking for an adventure, but still a little naive. Kinda like Ruby. She kinda acts like a leader of sorts, always making sure we're ready and having fun. Not a day goes by where she isn't smiling, but I can still see behind the smile to the pain. The pain of losing Tidus when he appeared in Remnant. I didn't have the heart to tell her that he's alive, nor did I have the heart to tell her he and Pyhrra were dating. It's not right, but maybe she'll never know._

 _Rikku is a lot like Yang. They are both hotheads at time, and at the same time, they can be the most caring person you know. Then again, she is a lot like Blake, but only if you saw her as the thief, she was raised as. Even still, she is just a year younger than me, which isn't that surprising considering she was fifteen when Tidus met her. Apparently, time flows twice as fast in Spira._

 _Paine, not much is really known about her. She prefers her space, dark clothes, and is the stoic one of the group. Honestly, the comparison between her and Blake is a little uncanny, and I've even called her that a couple of times. Usually, she just raises an eyebrow and forgets about it and moves on._

 _I haven't really told them all everything about myself. Mostly, I have told them that I am from Remnant and I don't know how I got here. They know about the Grimm, Aura, Semblances, and Team RWBY and JNPR, but they haven't heard about Team AART or Seymour. I just can't tell them, no matter how much I trust them because I know it would give them a sense of false hope._

 _Anyways, the others on the team were an interesting bunch. Brother is the brother to Rikku, why they named him Brother is beyond me, and is Al Bhed. Turns out, they are a group of people who until recently were seen as nothing more than traitors for having different beliefs and not following the teachings of Yevon. They would actively use machina, or machinery, which in some regards is better than Atlas, but in others not so much. Of course, after they all defeated Sin, the culture began accepting their ways more, though that could also be because Yuna and her guardians practically proved the entire religion wrong._

 _Brother is eccentric to say the least, like a male Nora. He is quite hyper and is still struggling with his English a little. Granted, I have a basic understanding of Al Bhed, but it is a pain to try and speak in it. The other quirk is that he seems to have an obsession about Yuna, the one you get that really is like a step above love. It is almost stalkerish and has almost gotten himself and us killed once or twice, but she doesn't seemed to bothered about it._

 _Buddy on the other hand, is much calmer and level-headed. He is much more disciplined and has a higher level of intelligence than Brother. He also seems a lot more comfortable speaking in general and acts as the ship's navigator. He is kinda like Lie Ren in that way._

 _Then there is Shinra. The child prodigy and overall smartest of us all. He developed the Garment Grids, updated most of the computers on the ship, and even found a way to tame Fiends. He does seem a little introverted a bit, and if he can't solve something he uses the excuse of being 'just a kid.'_

"Mish Weish, what can I do for yoo?" asked a high pitched voice that snapped the former heiress out of her thoughts. She turned towards the bar in the cabin to the short Hypello in front of her. The blue male of the Hypello, an amphibian race of creatures, wore a pair of brown pants an no shirt, not that it was needed.

"Just water, Barkeep," she replied. No one knew his real name, but everyone in the Gullwings just called him Barkeep, and he seemed not to have any objections. With a simple nod, he walked down the bar and poured the girl a glass of water before handing her what she ordered. "Thanks."

Weiss sat on the bar stool, sipping her water, while she waited for the data to be analyzed. _I joined the Gullwings in hopes to find a way home. I mean, Yuna is still searching for Tidus, and maybe that sphere she found has the clues to travel back to Remnant. It's not like I can just walk right through the Farplane, right?_

 _Still, though, it feels like each day I find myself drifting farther and farther from my memories of Remnant, of Beacon. Especially Airu and the rest of Team RWBY. Was this what Tidus and Auron went through when they arrived in Remnant, or Airu and Ren Glain? Then again, I feel those two might actually want to forget the horrors they experienced and caused. Genocide would put anyone through Hell._

As she remained lost in her thoughts, Weiss failed to notice Paine take a seat next to her and order an orange soda. The two sat in silence for a moment, before the slightly younger, yet five inches taller, girl broke it by asking, "So, how long do you plan on not telling the others about Tidus?"

Weiss snapped out of her thoughts while also spitting out the water she was drinking, soaking Barkeep by accident. "Well, that wash not pleshant," he said as he walked off to dry himself off.

"How do you know?" Weiss questioned intensely.

"I've been watching you, and whenever those two mention Tidus or the sphere, you either look away or saddened by it. There is something your not telling them."

Weiss turned back to her glass of water, now half empty, and calmed herself down with a sigh. "I… I don't know. I don't want to hurt Yuna, but at the same time I feel she needs to know."

"What is so important that you have to hide it from your friends?" Weiss turned to the usually stoic member of the group and gave her a look of irony.

"Don't ask questions unless your prepared to answer them yourself." Everyone in the Gullwings could tell that Paine had secrets, dark secrets about her past. No matter how much anyone pried, the only answer anyone ever got about why she joined the Gullwings was that she wanted to fly on an airship and search for treasure. Yuna may have accepted it, but Rikku and Weiss weren't so complacent with her answers. _Secrets about her past that no one knows until it comes and bites her in the ass, kinda like Blake._

"You already know why I am here."

"Just remember, your past always comes back when it is the least convenient for you."

"Personal experience?"

"More or less." Silence followed as the two girls finished their drinks in peace. Despite the friendly faces, the tension in the air could be cut with a butterfly sword. _This could get awkward before it gets better._

"We better get going," Paine suggested as she finished her drink and set it on the counter of the bar, making sure to place the correct amount of gil on the table to pay for her soda. "They should be finished analyzing the data."

"You're right," Weiss agreed as she placed her glass of water on the counter, "Let's go."

* * *

 **Not much action this chapter, but I think this sets up the dynamics for the Gullwings going forward. I wanted to keep the same idea the beginning of FFX-2 felt, but from Weiss's perspective since this will have more of a focus on her. And the Paine-Weiss tension, like it wouldn't happen. They both have a lot they are hiding from Yuna (Like that her boyfriend is really alive in a different world, is dating someone else, and that her ex-fiance is trying to take over the world), so they are locked in a game of mental chess to get information out of the other. But they still are friends, just very suspicious of each other.**

 **As for the time flowing differently, it was necessary for the story to work as it has, and it actually lines up well with some predetermined dates I have in mind. But those are for another time. For now, have a good day and I will see you all in two weeks.**


	12. Chapter 6: A Promise

**Welcome back everyone, I hope you all had a festive meal this Thanksgiving. Either way, with Christmas just a month away, the season of giving is here, so I will give you all a chapter. Yay. Also, in celebration of the season, there will be two chapters at the next update as opposed to one. Tis the season.**

 **Anyways, the plot will finally start moving forward a little bit now. Still a bit slow, but there is a lot that needs to happen. So without further aeidu, I will cue the intro while you all sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instrumental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimm lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the others seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 6: A Promise**

After a mildly long flight in the bullhead, the large airship touched down on the top of the most substantial hospital in Remnant. It was the threshold of medical discovery and had the best doctors money could buy and train. The equipment used was far more advanced than anything any of the local hospitals could get their hands on. To some, the Atlas Medical Center was considered to be a temple of health care.

As the doors opened up, Airu and Winter stepped out onto the landing pad, the former opting to stretch out her limbs after being cooped up in a small cabin for so long. After taking one last deep breath of air, Airu folded her wings so that they were pressed against her back and not bumping into everything.

"Where to, Airu?" Winter asked as the two began walking to the doors in front of them. The specialist opened one, allowing Airu to enter before stepping inside herself.

"Room 236," she merely replied as she adjusted the two items she held in her hands. Each item held no weight by themselves, but together they symbolized so much more. The harpy quickly located a map of the building and followed it to the nearest elevator. Winter and Airu rode the elevator down to the second floor, and as the doors opened up, Winter decided to probe further.

"What is so special in room 236?"

"Let's just say I made a promise to do something, and I don't like to go back on my promises." The two worked their way around various doctors and visitors in search of the information desk. Winter spotted it out of the corner of her eye and directed Airu towards the counter. The woman working at the desk finished helping the couple in front of them and sent them on their way as she typed some information into her computer.

"Come on, why is everything so slow these days?" the closest clerk asked the one on the opposite end of the desk. The second attendant slammed her mouse on the table twice, trying to get her computer to work faster.

"I don't know, but apparently the CCT tower at Beacon went down in some Grimm invasion," the second replied. A third woman, dressed more like a nurse than the other two, approached carrying some files.

"A Grimm invasion took down Beacon?" she asked like it was old news, "Isn't that place supposed to be filled with some of the best Hunters-in-Training. What are they teaching that they can't take down some simple Grimm." Airu took a deep breath to calm herself while Winter rolled her eyes at the ignorance of the medical staff in Atlas.

"Guess they don't live up to their potential," the first lady said in defeat, "Guess that's why Atlas will always be superior, we train soldiers, not mercenaries."

"Oh, so you ladies like brainwashed retards who only know how to stand in a line and shoot?" Airu quipped, gathering the attention of the medical staff, "I mean how hard is it to shoot a rifle in a line? You point, aim, and pull the damn trigger, and if the guy in front of you dies, you step up and take his place. It is so easy, and fucking corgi could do it."

Elsewhere, a small corgi lifted up a rifle from the coffee table of his home with his teeth. The little dog pulled the trigger back as he moved the gun, firing a shot into the TV. Taiyang walks down the stairs with a yawn, wondering why gunshots were being fired in his home. When his eyes settled on the cute corgi and the rifle in its mouth, he looked towards the TV and facepalmed. "Zwei, what have I told you about shooting the TV!" he cried in defeat. Said dog only turned his head to the side with the innocent look only a corgi could produce.

"Really, and what about Vale's military?" the first lady asked.

"Vale has a military?" the second question, faking astonishment.

"At least their Hunters-in-Training are worth their weight in Lien," Airu retorted, "The only representative from Atlas in the finals was a freakin' robot. They had to manufacture a Huntress because they can't make their own."

"At least we aren't bloodthirsty murderers," the nurse snapped back. Had Airu not been trying to control her anger, she would have lunged over the counter and beat some sense into the women, but instead, she kept her cool.

"You weren't there when the Grimm destroyed your manufactured soldiers. You weren't there when the White Fang attacked, carrying bullheads full of Grimm. You weren't there when a goddamn Dragon attacked my fucking school. And I haven't even mentioned the Fiends. You have no right to criticize the actions Beacon took to defend the school."

The first attendant was about ready to rebuttal, but Winter stepped in between her and Airu, making sure to move her right hand over her saber. "I am sorry about the disturbance ma'am," she coldly apologized, "My friend and I were just looking for Room 236. Could you be a dear and point us in the right direction?"

"Oh, of-of course Miss Schnee," the first attendant stuttered. The revelation of Winter's family persuaded the second and the nurse to bow and get back to work. The attendant typed away on her computer. "Let's see here. Room 236 is just down the hall to your right. It will be the last door on your left. If I may, why is it that you are asking about Julia Torchwick."

Winter turned to Airu in confusion, not knowing the infamous criminal had a sister, let alone one that was staying at the Atlas Medical Facility. Airu stepped forward, much calmer than a moment ago, and set the grey bowler hat she had been holding onto the counter. The attendant took the signal for what it meant and nodded. "I see. She will want to see them herself. Go, now."

Airu and Winter turned and began following the white walls of the hospital towards Room 236. "Julia Torchwick?" Winter asked vaguely.

"I told you, a promise," Airu replied.

* * *

Taiyang stood on the side of the small dirt clearing in a large field of grass. Opposite him, his daughter, Yang, and her friend from school, Auron. While he usually would question as to why his seventeen-year-old daughter was hanging around someone who looked about as old as Qrow, the information his brother-in-law left for him was enough to push past the relationship. While the two weren't dating, which was a relief for Taiyang, they had respect for each other.

Taiyang saw Auron as the mentor type. Full of wisdom and experience who was willing to push others past their breaking point to make sure they learned the lesson. He also saw him as someone who would risk his own life to save others. This idea was cemented when he heard about how Auron fought Adam Taurus to the death to protect his daughter and her partner after she lost her arm.

From Auron's own accounts, he knew it was not because of love, but because of the friendship they had. He continued to fight, even after having his own arm lobbed off and his eye cut through. The fights in which you do that are the fights when you know you have to protect others, even at the cost of your life. For that, he owed the guardian, but he asked for nothing but a place to stay until Beacon was rebuilt.

Taiyang had agreed and helped make sure the guardian recovered well enough during the past three months. Now, they were training. Training to make sure he could fight with just the one arm and a sword. It was a challenge, but Auron learned fast, and now he hoped his daughter would pick it up as well.

Taiyang slammed his knuckles together before taking his stance, making sure he was balanced. "Are you kids ready?" he taunted.

"Wouldn't be out here if we weren't," Yang snapped back, a sly grin appearing on her face. It was good in his eyes; it meant she was getting her confidence back.

"This will be tough, remember that," Auron reminded, adjusting the double-edged blade on his shoulder. While the guardian usually carried around the broken blade of Masamune when he would visit the graves of Team CFVY, when he was training he would use Muramasa. The double-edged sword was nowhere near as powerful, but it allowed him to fight just as effectively.

The wind blew between the two parties as they waited for the moment to attack. Then it stopped, and Taiyang charged. Auron was the first to react, bringing his sword to block the punch and moved out of the way of the second. "Protectga," the guardian chanted and an orange hexagonal pattern appears around him and Yang.

Taiyang continued his combo, forcing the guardian to block another strike. It clashed with the blade in a reverse grip, allowing Auron to raise the hilt and catch the follow-up jab. The guardian pushes forward against the Hunter, causing him to stumble as Auron stepped to the side. Yang appeared from behind him and sent a left uppercut into her father's gut, causing him to hop a little into the air.

Yang rotated around herself, bringing her feet around for two kicks, each blocked by her father. As she righted her, he followed her body with a left hook. The elder dragon blocked her punch with his right hand and countered with his left, but she leaned back just enough for the fist to sail over her head. Auron's blade met Tai's hand as the two clashed over Yang's head.

"Power Break," the guardian chanted again, causing his blade to glow red as it continued to struggle for power with the left hand of Tai. Knowing what the skill does, he retracted his fist in time for the blade to narrowly miss his body, forcing him to let go of Yang's hand. The blonde brawler rolled back as gravity pulled her down and steadied herself next to Auron, who perched his blade on his shoulder in anticipation of the elder dragon's next attack.

Taiyang saw the challenge and decided to change it up. He held his hand out, palm up, and bent his fingers back and forth. Yang took the taunt and took her father's challenge, throwing a left jab first. He blocked the punch and countered with one of his own. Yang moved her body to her left, raising her right stump as her father's punch slid under the amputated limb. She caught it in her armpit, shifting her weight back to her right side and pulling him closer as she nailed his jaw with another left hook.

As she went for a second punch, Tai moved his arm to grip the back of her shoulder and ducked under the blow. He stepped to her weaker side and hip tossed her to the ground with an assuring thud, sending up dirt from the impact. He went for the finishing blow, a downward strike to her temple, but it was blocked when Auron chanted, "Sentinel," and appeared with his blade in front of his fist. The two struggled for power, but Tai pulled back to catch the guardian with his other hand.

To the elder dragon's surprise, Auron took a forward step as his blade continued in a horizontal motion with an outward strike that ran across his gut. Tai doubled over slightly, but it was enough for Auron to get in close and headbutt him with enough force to send him to his ass a few feet away. Yang got back to her feet and stood up next to Auron, as they waited for Taiyang to get back up to his feet.

While they expected him to either grunt, or grin, or just launch an attack, they didn't expect the elder dragon just to laugh and clap his hands together. "Well done, both of you," he complimented as he walked over to the two. "Your teamwork is really improving. Keep it up and you should be just as good as you were before."

"Thanks, dad," Yang piped up.

"But you still have a long way to go," he turned to Auron, "both of you."

"How so?" Auron asked.

"Let's see. Auron, you need to spend more time working on the strategy going into a fight. Give yourself more of those spells you have been using to allow yourself to take more hits. I know you usually are using Masamune, but there will be times you won't have it and can't rely on taking damage to increase your strength. Or other's Semblances for that matter. You get drained quickly from those, and while it has improved since we started, continually using and switching between them can become exhausting. I would say use more of the low costing spells to buff yourself and friends so you all can stay alive, even if you do have to block an attack with Sentinel.

"As for you, my lovely daughter, you are way too predictable. Even with the change in your style, you still lead with a crushing hook. Nothing is wrong with a light jab or a feint here of there, something to keep them on their toes. Wouldn't want another incident again. And you are relying on your Semblance too much."

"What's wrong with that?" she asked. "I mean, you were just talking to Auron about how he should his Semblance in a different way. Everyone on my team used them like they were just another muscle."

"Because you Semblance is like Masamune; a blessing and a curse," answered not her father, but Auron. "You take in damage and dish it back out. You grow stronger the longer the fight goes on, but at the cost of your well being. Masamune is the same way. It locks my strength to where my attacks are much weaker than they should be, but the more I get hurt, the more power I am given. The point at which I am the most powerful is when I am the most fragile. A glass cannon."

"And not only that Yang," her father added, "You get way too upset when you are using it. Anger is not the only source of power. While it is great when you are in a bind, what happens when you miss? Then you are just tired and weakened, no different than the rest of us. When you use it, you need to keep a level head. Fight smarter, and the power will follow. Trust me."

Yang looked towards her father, thinking about what he and the guardian had told her. "Alright," she said, "I'll keep that in mind." She looked down to the ground in thought when a firm hand grasped her shoulder. The blonde brawler saw Auron give her a look of reassurance and respect.

"I made a promise after Coco died that I would make sure no one else would, and while I couldn't protect Pyrrha, I will make sure to protect you. But I can only do that if I know you will be fighting as well. A Guardian can only do so much when he is the only one fighting."

"Don't worry Old Man, I wouldn't miss a good fight for the world." At the sound of the nickname, Auron's face lowered for just a moment before he brought it back up into a fake smile. His eyes conveniently hid behind the dark tint of the sunglasses, preventing Yang from seeing the pain in his eyes.

"Right," he said solemnly. Thankfully, the conversation was interrupted by Taiyang.

"Hey, I just got a call from Qrow," he claimed, "He wants to see you guys."

"Where at?" Yang asked.

"Signal, said he has a gift."

* * *

Airu opened the door to the hospital room and examined it. The room was filled with medical equipment much more advanced than anything she had ever seen. Growing up on the Isle, most medical treatments were taken care of by anyone with healing magic. The walls were bare and a bland white color, and the floor very much the same. On the far right side of the room, there was a bed with a young girl inside.

She was twenty-one years old, but her body would say otherwise. Her skin was slightly grey and hugged her bones a little too close. Dark circles under her eyes and a hospital gown almost made her look dead as it is. Around her, IV's pumped medications into her arm while monitors displayed her vitals from various sensors around her body. Her orange hair had long since lost its bright color, settling for burnt shade.

She turned her head weakly to the sound of her door opening and smiled weakly with a near splitting image of Roman Torchwick. "Hello," she said, "I wasn't expecting any more visitors today. Please come in." She weakly pulled herself up to look at the two now walking into her room.

"Thank you, Julia," Airu replied as she and Winter stepped into the room. "How are you doing?"

"Just lying around, really." A light, forced, chuckle escaped her lips. "Who are you guys anyways."

"I apologize for my friend here," Winter began, "She can be a little rash at times. I am Winter Schnee."

"I see…" Julia's face dropped slightly before she turned to Airu, "And you?"

"Airu Mirai."

"Eagle Bitch…" she gasped as her eyes shifted slightly to the other side of the room. "What do you want?"

"I came to give you something. I made a promise to someone, and I intend to keep it." Airu lifted her arms to Julia, presenting her the cane and hat that the infamous criminal had made famous. "During the Battle of Beacon, he told me about you and what Cinder had told him she would do to you. I've come to deliver this to you, and let you know I will continue paying for your treatments. Which is why I brought her along, she has the bigger wallet."

"What!?" Winter cried.

"I'm kidding, at least about you paying." Airu looked at the young woman as she took the memories of her brother into her hand. Tears fell from her face as she gripped them tightly. "Look, he told me what happened in his dying breaths. He died to make sure you lived, guess he didn't know Cinder was going to die too."

"She's dead too?" Hope was in her voice. "If only he could have made it out of there alive. Thank you Airu. This...this means a lot to me then you would think."

"That's good to hear. Though, it would sound a lot better without a blade to my neck. Mind putting it down Neo?" Much to Winter's surprise, the air around Airu shimmered and shattered like glass. A young woman, albeit short, appeared from thin air. Dressed in a brown corset and pants covered by a white jacket with a pink interior. She boosted her height, which didn't help much, with a pair of near knee high heels, and her hair is brown and pink with a strip of white on her pink side.

Airu's scroll vibrated in her pocket with a message. A sly smirk formed on the lips of Airu as she pulled it out and read the message from the ice cream themed midget. _Maybe_ _._ The harpy rolled her eyes at Neo's size appropriate antics.

"Please?" The shorter girl shrugged and retracted her blade from the end of her umbrella.

 _How did you know I was here?_ Neo asked through her scroll.

"I saw your sister's eyes shift to the side of the room every couple seconds. I figured if you were here, you would show yourself eventually. One downside of your Semblance, you shimmer when you hide yourself. Not really good against someone who has seen it."

 _Good eye. Now, why are you really here?_

"I already told you," Airu turned around to actually look at the shorter girl, noticing the apparent scar that ran along her pale skin. It ran nearly perpendicular to her left eye, catching it in the corner just enough to prevent the color to change anymore. Her heterochromia eye matched it for now with soft pink irises. Airu must have stared just a little too long, as her Scroll vibrated.

 _Some Fiend with blades for legs caught me off when I was trying to survive, no thanks to you zapping me out of the sky like some lightning rod._

"Well, that was when things were different. See, the way that I look at it, we have no reason to fight, aside from you pulling a weapon on me, but I can forgive that." Airu slowly walked towards the door where Winter still stood, contemplating what to do. "Roman is dead, but I fulfilled his dying wish." _Even if I was the one who ended his life and he never actually asked for it._ "Your sister, at least to me, seems happy that I at least brought her something to remember him by, and I personally have no hatred towards you."

 _I suppose you're right. But how should I know you're not going to turn me in, I am still involved in what happened, and surely the police will want my head._

"Like they could catch you." Airu chuckled to herself at the memory of Neo escaping with Roman after they destroyed the Paladin. "Plus Cinder is dead; there is nothing holding you back from leaving now anyway."

 _Quick-witted and smart._

"I try to be." Airu grabbed the handle to the door and began to turn it when a thought crossed her head. "Neo, we want to end this scheme that Seymour has planned. To do that, I have to look into my past for answers that may help us achieve our goals." Airu looked over her shoulder at the ice-creamed themed girl. "Do you want to help?"

No message was needed to be sent, at least not through electronics, as Neo grinned in response. Not in an evil way, but in a way that anyone could see that it said 'Did you even need to ask?'. "Well then, we better get going. Make sure to bring some warm clothes." Airu walked out the door, soon followed by Neo, leaving Winter in the room with Julia. Seconds ticked by as she tried to process the events that had transpired in the few minutes they were in the room.

The weak voice of Roman's sister snapped the specialist out of her confusion with the simple suggestion, "I think you should follow them."

"Y...yeah you're right," she replied as she gathered her composure and left the hospital room, and leaving Julia by herself.

"Please be safe Neo, I don't want to lose another sibling."

* * *

 **The promise has been fulfilled, and Neo has joined Airu in her adventure. This was something I had planned out for a long time, and I think it makes for an interesting group. I think the clashing personalities will provide some light-hearted comedy at times, and put all of them out of their element, the most noticeable being Winter. It is something that I think you guys will enjoy going forward and sets up some events later. However, until next time, Happy Holidays.**


	13. Chapter 7: Intel

**Welcome back everyone to the adventure. For those of you in college trying to get through finals, I feel you. But, enough about life and all those responsibilities, we are here for a story, and a story you shall get. And like I said last week, this will be the first of two uploads, the second coming right after this. There isn't much more to say, so sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instrumental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop a altar in the middle of the Grimm lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the other seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Intel**

Ren Glain and Ruby Rose sat alone in the back of the Bullhead. The trip from the warehouse they had been staying at to their location in Mistral was about a seven-hour flight, and the two had only been in the air for about three. They were, however, fairly content with their own devices.

Ruby had her weapon of choice, a scythe with a high powered sniper rifle built in, in her lap as she cleaned each part of Crescent Rose. Ren, on the other hand, was busy compiling and sifting through data on various research and military facilities in Mistral using the computer eyepiece that was currently doubling as a visor. Through a mental link to the computer, he sorted, scanned, and processed the information on each file he could find on the locations.

"Hey, Ren," Ruby said from her spot on the other side of the cabin. Ren quickly finished going through the file he was on before allowing the orange screen to recede just to cover one eye. Once she was sure he was listening, she continued. "What exactly are we looking for in Mistral?"

"Ironwood believes that what happened at Beacon traces back to Mistral," he replied, "I did some digging over the past few months before I brought you along, and I believe so as well."

"How so."

"Well, for starters, Cinder Fall and her team were responsible for the attack, seeing as they attempted to stop anyone who fought back. They orchestrated the Grimm, White Fang, as well as the tournament accidents. Cinder herself claimed she was from Mistral while using the Haven as their cover story. There is something else though, something better to show than tell you." Ren reached to his left temple and pushed a button, causing his screen to display to become visible on the wall behind Ruby.

Ruby crossed the cabin, taking a seat next to the gunslinger as a holographic keyboard appeared in front of him with the tint of his eyepiece. The projection of the screen had lost the tint, making it look like a typical screen. Selecting a couple of files, Ren opened them and began going over them.

"As requested by Ironwood, he asked me to look into different research facilities in both the public and military sectors. Most of them focused on the basics, food, weapons, production, so they didn't raise any red flags. Some of them, however, claimed one thing but the facility's records suggest another."

Ren clicked on one of the images, making it bigger for them both to see. "This one right here claims to be developing a way to improve Dust use in weapons, make it more effective and efficient. But based on cameras in the area, as well as an inventory list I obtained by hacking its storage files, show a rather large intake of captured Grimm and Fiends."

"But wouldn't they need the Grimm and Fiends to test the weapons?" Ruby asked.

"Not normally, as they would often use testing dummies. Grimm and Fiends are hard to get a hold of and too expensive for a weapon's facility to be used in these amounts. They are also bringing in large amounts of raw, uncut Dust crystals rather than the more common Dust powder that most weapons use."

"What does that mean then?"

"Based on the information, I would say they are trying to study the Fiends and feeding the Grimm Dust to give them elemental properties. Something like that could be deadly. The other idea is that they are trying to combine the two to create Grimmified Fiends, which would be just as bad."

"Wait, I think I remember something." Ruby began to mutter something about robots and Grimm before a look of realization covered her face. "Merlot Industries!"

"What about them?" Ren asked. The name didn't ring any bells in his mind, nor did it ever pop up in his research, yet Ruby seemed to know of it like it was common knowledge.

"It was an old research company stationed in Mountain Glenn years ago. After the breach, we found some of his equipment in the Emerald Forest, which led us to there, and then to his facility off the coast of Vale. Team RWBY kicked his butt though, and he blew up his lab after that."

"And what was he researching?" As he waited for her answer, he was pulling up any files on Dr. Merlot while cross-referencing the information with that of the research files he pulled up from the facility.

"This serum that could mutate Grimm in different ways." Ren's face lit up with an evil grin while looking at the files.

"Take a look at this from three months ago, right when everything in Beacon went down. 'Beacon was attacked, or at least it should've at this point. Research on the serum has been going smoothly, and progress has been shown. It seems Merlot's knew what he was doing. The Queen should be happy, if not then the Doctor is sure to erase us. Fiend fusion is still not quite working, but let's hope that it won't be necessary right now. -Oak.'"

"That sounds like what we are looking for," Ruby confirmed as the screen flickered off and returned to Ren's eyepiece.

"That's where we are going," Ren declared as he stood up, "I'll let the pilot know, get your weapon ready because we might be there soon."

"Got it."

* * *

Weiss and Paine rode the elevator back up in silence, the tension between the two of them still strong after their drinks. Once the doors opened up, they walked out together to where Yuna and Rikku were standing near Buddy. "Hey!" Rikku called out once she saw the two, "Buddy got a read on the Sphere waves."

The girls hurried over to the other members of the Gullwings in anticipation of the new sphere. "Right," Buddy said as he explained the information he was finding, "The waves are coming from Mt. Gagazet, home of the Ronsos."

"That's where Kimahri lives, right?" Rikku asked Yuna more than anyone else.

"Yeah, he became the elder of the Ronsos after Sin's defeat," Yuna confirmed before turning to the two who were not on her pilgrimage. "Kimahri was one of my guardians and was always there to protect me for almost my entire life. He may come off as aggressive, be he is really sweet on the inside."

While Yuna talked about Kimahri to the others, all Weiss could think about was Ruby and how she looked after fighting him. Her clothes were torn in places, bloodied in others. She looked exhausted and shocked that she took a life. And worst of all, the stab wound in her stomach. Had Professor RagingKey not been there at that moment, the young leader of Team RWBY would have died, and Weiss knew that.

"Weiss, are you listening?" Rikku asked, snapping the Remnant native out of her mind. Once she was sure she had her attention, the thief of the group continued. "As I was saying, we should probably test out outfits again, just to make sure the Garment Grid works. What do you say?"

"That sounds like a great idea," Weiss agreed.

"Alright girls, to the deck then," Yuna said as she led the Gullwings to the elevator. Together the four of them rode it to the top and stepped out onto the deck. The wind roared as the Celsius soared over Spira.

"Okay, let's start with the Gunner." The four nodded, drawing their weapons as they assumed their positions. Weiss twirled her rapier in her hand before stabbing it into the ground. A dome of ice surrounded her form before shattering, her clothes slowly changing from her Spell Fencer to her Gunner outfit.

She now wore a white, diagonal buttoned, long sleeve tailcoat with black trimmings and a light blue interior with white fur cuffs. Weiss also had on a pair of white pants with black heeled boots. With a flash a flick of her wrists, two green SMGs with knives built in unfolded from her sleeves and into her hands.

To the others, her outfit was very different. Paine and Rikku wore very similar outfits to Yuna, albite a few minor changes to fit their personality. Even their dual pistols were the same. But Weiss, she had a very, very similar outfit to a friend. Even her weapons, StormFlower, were reminiscent of her friend, Lie Ren.

"Next, Thief." Weiss nodded in understanding and tossed her weapons into the air. The guns folded back up and fell back into her sleeves as her clothes began changing once more. The clothes faded and reformed in a matter of seconds, and her weapons appeared on her arms.

Weiss wore a sleeveless white vest with a zipper down the middle and a pair of light blue jeans. Around her wrists were two orange gauntlets connected to blades running parallel to her arms.

Once more, her outfit was very different from the other Gullwings. The other three practically wore bikini tops and short shorts while she was much more conservative. Her weapons and gear reminded her of one thing though; her lost friend, Fox.

"Warrior." Weiss backflipped into the air, stabbed her weapons into the ground, and flipped back into the air without her blades. Once more her clothes changed, but this time it went back to her Spell Fencer outfit. While the others had the Warrior dress piece, her's mutated and became the Spell Fencer and kept her original clothing. Once her clothes finished changing, she held her rapier in front of her eyes as she waited for the next change.

"Songstress." Weiss stabbed her rapier into the ground and repeated the process from before. Her clothes changed as she spun around catching the microphone as it dropped from the sky.

Her Songstress outfit consisted of a long, blue dress that faded from dark to light with a white interior. A slit ran up her left leg, allowing for more leg room and movement. It also came with a dark blue jacket with long sleeves and a jeweled accent connecting the halves in the front.

"Festivalist." Weiss twirled her microphone on its stand before tossing it into the air as her clothes changed once more. Once the new Dresspiece was equipped, a white hammer dropped from the sky and landed in her left hand while a stack of pancakes fell into the other.

Weiss now wore a light blue kimono with pink accents and a pair black sandals. Covering her back rested a white haori with light blue snowflakes in a falling pattern. She twirled small hammer in her hand, taking note of the similarities between it and Nora's hammer, Magnhild.

"Looks like everything's in order," Yuna confirmed as everyone changed back to their default Dresspheres. "Let's go!" With the declaration, Yuna led the Gullwings back to the ship as it zoomed towards Mt. Gagazet.

* * *

A light breeze blew through the grasslands as RagingKey sat alone in thought. The grass moved with the wind as the stars in the sky began to twinkle. As much as he enjoyed the thrill of battle or the tactical mind games others have tried to engage him with, the Lord of Hell wasn't a bloodthirsty beast. Sometimes he just wanted to take in nature, relax under the night sky, and just do nothing. It was a refreshing experience that he wasn't able to enjoy too often with recent events.

"I can't believe Gilmore used the wrong bloody sigil," a male voice called out from behind Rage. It wasn't one he recognized, at least not one he knew well enough. Taking a moment to listen, he began picking up the sound of footsteps from a small party of people. There was no more than six in total.

"Magic can be a finicky thing sometimes, and he seemed like he was still exhausted from putting up the barrier," another voice, a female one this time, replied.

Another male voice responded, "Or they were just yanking our chains, and Marquet is really similar to Tal'Dorei." The group continued to argue as RagingKey sighed. As he listened to them speak, his memory reminded him of exactly who these travelers were. Judging by their current conversation as well, he knew exactly where they were on their journey as well. _Well, I do need to fill another five spots,_ Rage thought to himself as he willed his body to stand.

At his movement, he heard the familiar sounds of weapons becoming unsheathed as he was sure they were trained on him. Uncaring, the Lord of Hell turned around with a cocky smile as he crossed his arms. Taking one look at the six adventures, his suspicions were confirmed on their identity. "Vox Machina, I can assure you are not in Marquet, nor are you in Exandria," he confirmed for the party before bringing his arms out to either side as if to showcase the environment to them. "Welcome, to the Isle of Warriors."

* * *

 **And with that, another chapter is finished. Ren and Ruby's objective is coming into focus while the Gullwings begin making their way towards Mt. Gagazet. Plus, a mysterious band of adventurers has arrived on the Isle of Warriors. What does this all mean, and what lies in store for everyone, only time will tell.**

 **As for Weiss's Dressphere's, most of them are going to based off of RWBY characters in some way. I figured it would fir her better than giving her copies of the other Gullwing's outfits. Her current ones that have been revealed are:**

 **Spell Fencer - Based on her outfit in the first three volumes of RWBY. Allows Weiss to enchant her weapon or others' with either an elemental or status property for a short period of time. Replaces Warrior.**

 **Thief - Based off of Fox's design. Functions the same as FFX-2 Thief.**

 **Gunner - Based off of Lie Ren's Vol 1-3 design. Similar to FFX-2 with more melee options.**

 **Songstress - Based on Weiss's design during the concert in Volume 4. Functions the same as FFX-2 Songstress.**

 **Festivalist - Based around the Festivalist in FFX-2, with a splash of Nora. Uses status based pancakes to attack, and a hammer if someone gets too close.**

 **Once more of her Dresspheres become available, I will explain what they do, just know that this will not be a 100% run through so she might not have all of them.**

 **Anyways, the next chapter should be out in an hour or two, so I will see you all then.**


	14. Chapter 8: Onwards

**Not much to say, said it all a few minutes ago. Just sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instrumental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop a altar in the middle of the Grimm lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the other seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Onwards**

Auron, Yang, and Taiyang pulled into the parking lot of Signal Academy. Normally, Taiyang would have opted to walk, but with the high number of Grimm and Fiends that have seen around Patch in recent weeks, he decided to take the amputees by car. He didn't drive anything fancy, just something to get him to and from work when he was feeling lazy.

The trio stepped out of the car into the relatively empty parking lot. It was Sunday, which usually meant only the maintenance staff, or the enthusiastic teacher would be present in the building. "So this is Signal," Auron commented as he looked over the building. It was nowhere near the size of Beacon, but it still was reasonably big, hosting around a hundred students, a forge, training facilities, and classrooms.

"Yep," Yang replied, "This is where I trained before I went to Beacon."

"I see." Auron stepped towards the school, his two blades shifting along his back. "And Qrow will be here with some new gear for us."

"That's what he told me," Taiyang confirmed, "He didn't say what they were for though, only that Ironwood sent them from where ever he is hiding out. Apparently, things are still a little tense between him and the people of Atlas, so he is trying to lay low."

"I can see why with the videos of his mechs attacking civilians being released."

"We should get going, don't want to keep Qrow waiting." Auron and Yang nodded in confirmation before turning to follow Tai as he pushed open the doors to the school.

* * *

To some, they would have had to walk through the treacherous snow, struggled through the freezing cold winds, and braved the creatures that rested upon these frozen cliffs to get where he was. But for one as powerful as Seymour, it was merely one step through a dimensional portal, and he went from Salem's tower to the Frozen Cliffs of Atlas in mere seconds.

Since his arrival in this new world, he has felt his powers grow exponentially. At first, it was small, the controlling of Fiends once more. Then it was getting the ability to summon Aeons again. Later, he could extract the darkness from the Aeons and condense them into small gems, allowing one to release the dark energy to do their biddings, in the form of Dark Aeons. He has also been granted more magical powers to cast spells that were unknown to the world of Spira. Teleportation was only the tip of the iceberg right now, but testing his abilities were the least of his worries right now.

Walking just a few feet and he could see what he was looking for. A pedestal, free of snow yet black as night. The design of the pedestal twisted and contorted in unnatural ways as it formed jagged, almost demonic edges. To some, it would look like nothing more than an old ruin from years long, long ago. Seymour knew what this was, however, as he felt the heat resonating off the demonic item.

It was the portal, the portal that connected this world to another. One that wasn't Spira, nor was it Remnant. No, it was a world that connected many others. At least, that was what the calming voice in his head was telling him. There was just one problem; he lacked the tools to open it.

He looked upon the structure, taking note of what was needed to open the pathway to the new world. Once he was done, he felt the presence of the purified Pyreflies returning to his body. "Looks like they have arrived," he said to himself as he turned towards the base of the cliff, "Maybe it will be her who opens this portal."

The howling winds barely masked his menacing laughter as he slowly faded from his spot on the cliff.

* * *

Airu jumped back to avoid the large seed spat at her from one of the many Grats that surrounded her. Almost upon entering the Frozen Cliffs' trail with Winter and Neo, Fiends began surrounding her and her group. Along the way, they got separated as the snow storms continued to rage on.

Another large seed was fired and she sidestepped to avoid the small plant's attempts to take her head. Spinning in the snow, she drew her butterfly swords and ignited the Burn Dust contained within the blades. After completing a full 360, she pushed the wind around her outwards, picking up the flames to roast the surrounding Fiends and decorating the air with blues and greens from the emerging Pyreflies.

Before she could relax, her instincts kicked in as she backflipped out of the way of a suicidal Grenade. The purple demon ball of fire crashed into the ground, killing itself as it exploded and pushed aside some snow. Looking towards where the Grenade came from, she saw another five charging after her with a Bashura right behind them.

Airu grunted as she quickly came up with a plan to deal with the incoming Fiends. First, she activated the Ice Dust in her butterfly swords before throwing them like boomerangs towards the Grenades, assisting their pick-up with a bit of wind. She quickly followed it up by launching her electric rapier into the Bashura's chest, causing it to stumble back as it received a mild shock. Still controlling the spinning wall of icy wind, Airu directed the mini storm towards the larger fiend with the Grenades still within.

She charged after the large group, recalling her butterfly swords back to her as she did so. The Fiends crashed together as she leaped into the air and caught her blades, driving them both into the frozen ground mear inches from the larger Fiend's feet. The Ice Dust, still active from before, shot outwards and created a dome around the Fiends, freezing them as ice filled the inside. One tap from her blade and the ice shattered, leaving only her rapier behind.

Looking around, Airu noticed Winter bouncing around the various Fiends on her glyphs while a summoned Ursa was currently having a striking match with a Bashura. The ice-based Grimm managed to block a double right hand with only its left paw before it tore the Fiend's head off with a mighty right swipe. Winter bounced off her glyph to avoid the Thundaga cast by the flying Imp, before stabbing the Fiend through and landing as Pyreflies surrounded her.

The harpy was about to run over to her when she felt the ground shake beneath her. Winter felt it too, as she stumbled to her feet and met up with Airu. "What was that?" the specialist asked as her saber was kept at the ready. Airu had her weapons sheathed once more, opting to see what she was going to deal with before choosing what to use to kill it.

"I don't know, but I don't think we are going to like it," the harpy replied as she tried to spot the mute of their group as the apparent tremors became louder and louder. Then she saw the shade of deep purple begin to appear through the snow. "Shit!" Bigger and bigger the creature became as she realized what was coming, a Behemoth.

The behemoth-sized creature charged on all fours with its horns out. Snow billowed out from its feet as it chased something small. As the two figures came closer, Airu and Winter could see the smaller of the two come into focus. The hybrid color hair of the ice-cream themed mute became clearer, as her petite form struggled to outrun the monstrous Fiend behind her.

"Winter!" Airu called as she began running towards Neo.

"Right," Winter replied as she focused her Semblance on creating a Time Dilation glyph under the feet Neo, speeding up her dead sprint. Airu spread her wings out wide, letting the wind lift her from the ground as she continued to pick up speed by controlling the wind. Her wings began to glow in a light green color as she cut through the cold, dense air, towards Neo and the Behemoth.

"Aerora!" she chanted, throwing her wings forward and forcing her to stop for a brief moment. A powerful, magically charged gust of wind launched from where her wings thrust forward and impacted the Fiend in its front leg. The force of the spell knocked it off balance and down the side of the cliff nearby, giving the harpy enough time to lift the much smaller girl off her feet and fly the two back towards Winter.

As the two landed, Neo fell to her knees, silently panting from the exhaustion of running for her life. After a moment, she got back to her feet and pulled out her Scroll.

 _Thanks,_ she messaged to Airu.

"Yeah, no problem," the harpy replied. Airu turned towards the path they needed to follow and began thinking. "Just what the Hell happened?"

 _I was just dealing with some Bandersnatches when I saw this purple tail hidden in the snow. I thought it was a rare breed or something and it was trying to hide. Next thing I know, that thing started chasing me after I stabbed it in the ass._

"Of course you did. Alright, I think we should be good to go for a while."

"I agree," Winter added, "That was a lot of Fiends for one area though, I would still be cautious if I were you."

"Trust me, I know. Still, I think that is a good sign that something is here. Let's g-" Airu's words were cut off by a familiar roar, turning the trio's attention towards the cliffs where the Fiend had fallen. A purple paw found purchase on the ground before them, and then another. The Behemoth slowly pulled itself to the level of Airu's group before standing upright, easily dwarfing them all, especially Neo.

The thirty-foot beast roared once more as it prepared to fight, and the others did the same. "What a fucking day," Airu grumbled as she took in her hand Myrtenaster.

* * *

Auron, Yang, and Tai walked through the darkened halls of Signal Academy. The hallways were wide, probably to allow the traffic of armed students to traverse with at least some ease during their class time. After a few minutes, they reached Qrow's classroom and stopped.

"Here it is," Tai claimed, "You guys ready?"

"Is there really something to be worried about?" Auron asked.

"Qrow likes to drink, so it is possible he his drunk."

"It's amazing that Uncle Qrow can manage to fight in that st-," Yang began before her words were cut off by someone bumping into her. She stumbled back as she turned to the who ran into her as Auron and Tai did the same.

The man was pale with a long, thick beard. Black hair ran down to his shoulders, which contrasted his light blue shirt and pants of a custodian. There was also a broom in one hand and a dustpan in the other.

"Hey, watch where you're going buddy," she snapped after getting a good look at him.

"I am sorry, Abigail," he said, almost as if he was worshiping someone, "I was not in the right state of mind, I hope I did not damage you, Sister."

"I suggest you back up buddy," Tai said with a noticeable hint of malice. The janitor ignored him, however as he ran his hand along Yang's cheek.

"Abigail, you have changed so much. I never thought I would see the day that you would dye your hair such a golden shade of yellow. Sister Abigail, won't you come back to us." Yang yanked her head back and stepped away from the man before here. Tai and Auron were taking her place before the janitor could react.

"I am giving you three second to get away from my daughter before I make sure you won't walk again," Tai threatened, activating his gauntlets which covered his knuckles with spikes. Auron also gripped the handle of Muramasa, ready to fight as well. The janitor knew he was in a dangerous situation.

"Father? Then I must have mistaken her for someone else. I apologize for the mistake. I should get back to cleaning. Pardon me." The janitor walked around the entire group, which never once took their eyes off of him, and continued down the hall.

"That was creepy," Yang finally said as they calmed down and relaxed their grips on their weapons.

"He seemed suspicious," Auron added.

"We can talk to someone about it later," Tai suggested, "But first let's see Qrow. I am sure we kept him waiting long enough." The others nodded and they entered the classroom.

* * *

"Mother was right," the bearded janitor said to himself as he shed his disguise, "The search for the Winter Maiden would lead me to Abigail. To think that spying on that old crow would lead me to you. Oh, how it has been so long since you were taken from us. It is time you returned home, Abigail." As the janitor stepped out the nearby window, he dusted off his white pants and black leather jacket. Revealing himself as the Buzzard. "If she doesn't remember who she is, I shall return her to Mother myself by any means necessary. Sister Abigail, I shall save you."

The Buzzard contorted his body and sprouted wings. His bird form took flight, off towards the woods in order to enact a plan.

* * *

Auron was the first to open the door to Qrow's classroom slowly walked inside, his right arm moving slowly back and forth as he walks. The classroom was bare with long dusks not unlike the ones he sat in during the guardian's time at Beacon. In the center of the classroom, Qrow stood expectantly next to one of the few people he could call a friend.

Yang and Tai entered behind him and stopped, wondering what Auron was staring at. "Are you just going to stand there gawking?" Jecht asked from next to Qrow. "Now come over here, you one-armed idiot."

"You never change, do you Jecht?" Auron asked with a small smile on his face as he walked down the steps.

"Not as much as you in the past year. First, you show up looking ten years younger, then you lose an arm and start looking like you did before we all came to this new place, minus the arm." The two guardians stopped, looking into each other's eyes as their long-forgotten friendship resurfaced. "Though I will admit these new clothes do look better on you, about time you got a change."

"Yet you seem to lack a shirt still, or pants that go past your knees."

"Hey, my glistening abs are why you need to wear sunglasses inside."

"It looks to me like you've gotten a little chubby, one too many glasses of Shupuff milk?"

"Says the guy who carries a canister full of sake at his side."

"At least I know how to savor a good drink; you would just drink to drink. At least you promised to stop, and kept it." What would have been an opportunity to continue the friendly banter was met with silence and a nervous chuckle. Auron raised his good eyebrow as the scent in the air finally caught his nose. "You've been drinking, haven't you?"

"So, how is my boy doing these days. He isn't still a crybaby is he?" Jecht's nervous laughter quickly died out as he fell under the disappointing glare of the guardian. It only took him a second to point towards Qrow, who up until now had remained quiet. The attention was turned to him, taking a drink from his flask as Jecht claimed, "It was all his fault."

"Why the Hell am I being brought into this?" the drunk uncle asked, "I'm not the one who attacked some blue Goliath when I was a drunk."

"You tried to bet me twenty Lien that you could beat an Ogre to death with your shoe."

"I wasn't drunk then, just buzzed. And that was after you tried to choke a Beowolf with your sash while it was still attached to your only pair of pants."

"Can we please stop this?" Tai asked, gathering the attention of the drunks and Auron. "Qrow, you said you had something for Auron and Yang."

"Yes I do, it's from Ironwood. He had his engineers work on this in secret while he has been hiding out." Qrow grabbed the box that was on his desk and set it down on one of the long tables for the students, ushering everyone over to examine the contents of the box.

Upon opening it, the glistening of metal caught the eyes of the amputees, as two prosthetic arms laid within the box. One was much longer and meant for the left side. Red markings went up and down the arm with a pink cherry tree engraved on the shoulder. The other one was much shorter and meant for the right arm. The entire thing was painted gold and shotgun shells were already loaded into the forearm near the wrist.

"These are for you two. These are the best he could make. So, what do you kids say to trying these bad boys on?"

* * *

 **So there you have it, Yang and Auron have made their way to Signal and briefly encountered a disguised Buzzard. What is it he is planning? Plus, new robot arms, because who doesn't like those.**

 **I think I should also mention that this is an AU from Volume 4 on because I don't think I mentioned that. So a lot of things will not happen that have been revealed since Volume 3. Some will, but some just aren't part of the story.**

 **Anyways, I'll try and upload once more before the New Year, but no promises. If I don't, have a happy holidays and a happy New Year.**


	15. Chapter 9: Preparations

**I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I know I said that at the lastest this would be posted two weeks after Christmas, but as you can see that didn't happen. Between the holidays, my new Nintendo Switch, college, and a family emergency that took place right at the beginning of the semester, it didn't allow for much time or motivation to write. On top of that, when I was preparing this chapter for edits I rewrote a lot of it because of a little bit of a different direction I wanted to take with it. It won't change anything that has already happened, but there are some events in the future that are being changed.**

 **Again, I am sorry about missing the update two weeks ago, but here it is now. So sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instrumental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop a altar in the middle of the Grimm lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the other seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Preparations**

Airu jumped back to avoid the massive claw from tearing her body apart. As the Behemoth's attack impacted the ground, it sent up a cloud of snow obscuring her vision as the Fiend charged a Thundaga spell. The attempt was thwarted, however, when a Nevermore made of ice crashed into the massive Behemoth, causing it to stumble back and lose its balance. The Fiend landed on its back as it broke apart the icy Grimm construct, the spell fizzling out.

Jumping onto the Behemoth's prone torso, Neo dragged her small blade hidden within her parasol in a jagged pattern across its chest as she ran across it. The gargantuan Fiend thrashed around trying to remove the petite girl and slammed its claw onto its chest. The former criminal just laughed silently as her form shattered like glass, her real body being carried by Airu high above the Fiend. In a primal rage, the Behemoth scrambled to its feet and let out a furious roar rivaling the howling winds that often passed through the cliffs.

"Are you ready?" the harpy asked as she slowed her ascent. Neo glanced over her shoulder to nod in acknowledgment before turning back to the Fiend. The ice cream criminal felt her body become weightless for a moment as Airu let go of her before gravity took hold and she began to fall. Once she felt the speed truly hit her, Neo started flipping forward with her parasol held out. The closer she got to the Behemoth, the faster her body began turning as the acceleration of gravity took a more significant hold.

Meanwhile, Airu tucked in her wings as the petite dropped from her arms. Without the limbs to support her flight being used to do so, the harpy also took a drop that sent her plummeting head first towards the surface of Remnant. As she fell, Airu drew and prepared Myrtenster for her attack. Utilizing her body, and some assistance from her control of the wind, the harpy began to spin like a corkscrew. Flames began erupting around her as she released Burn Dust from the chamber of the borrowed rapier.

The Fiend recognized the impending threat and began trying to move out of the way only to feel a cold chill run up its leg. Looking down, the Behemoth found ice creeping up its rear legs. The Fiend snarled in frustration as it struggled against the frozen entrapment while Winter focused on maintaining her glyph. Once it realized what was holding it in place, the Behemoth turned its rage towards the Specialist with electricity crackling around its arms.

The Behemoth roared with fury as it launched the spell towards Winter. Lightning danced through the icy tundra as it raced towards the Atlesian Specialist. Not keen on being struck by the Thundaga spell, she focused and created a glyph under her feet. As the bolt of lightning neared, Winter leaped into the air, the glyph sending her much higher than she usually would be able to jump.

An explosion of snow blasted up from the point of impact creating a cloud of sleet that engulfed the Specialist. Undeterred, she twisted her body so that her feet impacted a glyph forming above her. Not wasting a second, she pushed off the created platform toward another and used that one to push herself to the next. Winter bounced from glyph to glyph, using the falling snow from where the spell missed to obscure her movements. Landing on the last glyph, she pulled it back like a bow and held it tight, waiting for the perfect shot.

The last of the snow graced the ground as the sky became clear once more, just in time for Winter to watch the Fiend reel back in pain. The reason, a petite criminal was spinning down its back like a buzzsaw with a blade. It howled in pain as it thrashed around trying to knock the offending source of pain. Before it could, however, it received a splitting headache as the harpy began drilling into its skull while flames burned whatever the blade touched and the area around it.

Seeing her opportunity, Winter released the tension of her glyph as it launched her and a volley of ice spears towards the Behemoth. The Fiend paid her no mind as it tried to remove the harpy currently trying to fry its brain, which proved to be quite tricky while still trying to ignore the pain of its entire back being split open. Its efforts quickly stopped when Winter hilted her saber in its chest. There was a chilling silence in the air as the Fiend's last breath escaped its lungs before its torso became littered with ice spears. The Specialist removed her blade and leaped back to the ground as the Behemoth faded away, its body becoming nothing more than a storm of Pyreflies that drift off into the clouds.

Airu landed softly next to Winter and Neo. They were all exhausted, evident by the trio letting out a shared sigh of exhaustion. "At least that's over," Airu said as she righted herself. The Behemoth weren't necessarily tricky Fiends to fight, but they were remarkably resilient ones. To top it off, one good hit from them could tear apart one's Aura very quickly.

"Agreed," Winter replied as she turned further up the cliffside. They still had another three hundred meters to travel, and with the fighting in the snow, it wasn't going to be a short trek. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a cave not far from where they were. "We should set up camp over there for some rest before we continue."

Airu looked over to where she was pointed and nodded, agreeing with Winter's plan. Neo feverously agreed as well before darting off towards the cave. Despite enjoying her fair share of ice cream, the tri-colored criminal did not enjoy the idea of becoming a Neapolitan popsicle. "She's an interesting one," Winter said with a sigh. Airu shrugged in a manner that said, 'What can you do?' before following after the mute, the specialist only a few steps behind.

* * *

Tidus, Jaune, Ren, and Nora left the ticket office at the Vale ports, passports and tickets in hand. The newly formed team had taken the bus from Jaune's manor to the docks not too far from where he lived to buy their tickets. Not much had happened during the trip, aside from Tidus visiting Pyrrha's grave and performing the prayer for victory. Even if the dream didn't believe in Yevon's teachings himself, he still felt the gesture did, in fact, bring some luck.

"Man, that was expensive," Jaune groaned as they wandered around the docks, "I know my family gave me quite a bit of money for this journey, but still, 20,000 Lien on tickets."

"Part of that may have to do with the fact we will be taking two boats," Ren added as he pocketed his ticket, "We do have that layover in Menagerie."

"What is Menagerie anyways?" Tidus asked. Not being a native to Vale, or Remnant in general, he was naive to the landscape of the world. Granted, being lost in a big new world was nothing new at this point, but it was also completely new at the same time. "I know it was mentioned on Oobleck's class a few times, but he never went into too much detail about it."

"Mergerine is an island of primarily Faunus. It was the 'freedom' the government promised after the war. A desolate island with minimal land livable, and even less where crops could be grown easily. It's not a place many humans are welcome, but it isn't hostile either."

"I see," Tidus said as he nodded along. It reminded him a lot of the Al Bhed and how they were treated back in Spira. Left alone on a desert island all because they weren't followers of Yevon, yet in many ways, the oppressed groups had a few distinct advantages. The Al Bhed were almost all expert engineers - able to create and use quite advanced machina compared to the rest of Spira - while the Faunus had not just the capabilities of a Human, but often heightened attributes based on the animal features that they had. Honestly, it confused the dream why there was so much hate towards them in the first place. Tidus shook his thoughts from his head as he turned his attention back to the others. "We better get going towards our ship then. Don't want to miss it."

"Yeah, that's a good idea Tidus," Jaune agreed as the group turned towards the docks. As they walked towards the ship, Tidus noticed a shadow move in an alley. He stopped for a moment and looked towards where he saw it. There was nothing for a moment before the shadow dashed across it once more. The dream was about to turn around and ignore it before the shape focused in his mind, and he could've sworn that he saw cat ears on it.

"Blake…" he whispered as he stared towards the alley. Nothing moved for a solid minute, and Tidus was about to give up. Turning back to the rest of TNJR, he nearly smacked face first into Nora. Thankfully, he managed to notice her just in time to hop back and avoid the impact, albeit with a mild yelp.

"Looking for something?" she asked as she glanced toward the alley he had just been staring at. "Or someone?"

"No, just lost in thought, hehe," he lied, hoping that Nora would just let it go. He really didn't want to trouble the group with only a shadow. To his fortune, Nora shrugged and walked back towards Ren and Jaune, who were both waiting for the two to catch up. The dream took one last glance towards the alley before shaking his head and following after them.

* * *

"Thanks, come again," the shopkeeper said as two tourists stepped out of his store. The male was taller than the girl that was with him and dressed in a light blue shirt and a darker jacket with a pair brown shorts. A tan straw hat covers his black hair and a pair of sunglasses covered his eyes. The girl next to him was much shorter, with a light green blouse and a black skirt. Much like him, she also wore a hat and sunglasses.

Together, the two walked the streets of Kyra. It was a small village on the outskirts of Haven Acadamy, and often students will do patrols in the village. It was also just a few miles west of Pallet Labs. "Explain to me why I can't have my baby with me, Ren," the girl asked.

"Because we are undercover Ruby," Ren explained, "If the people saw us carrying our weapons, dressed as we usually do, they would get suspicious. Even if we are near the school, we wouldn't be recognized by the people and they might get suspicious. Not to mention the fact the Crescent Rose is unique and recognizable."

"I guess that makes sense, but I still don't like it." Ren sighed as he reached into the satchel he kept over his shoulder. Hidden by the bag, he created a small handgun. It wasn't much, but it was something that could be concealed.

"If it makes you feel safer, take this. People will just think you are trying to protect yourself rather than hunt Grimm." Ren handed Ruby the small pistol as deftly as he could while they continued through the village.

"Thanks," she grumbled, still not satisfied at the circumstance. "So what's the plan then?"

"We find an inn and stay there while we scout out the place. I'd say in about two to three days; we will infiltrate."

"So much waiting. Why can't we just break in now and fight our way through?"

"We would be outnumbered, probably outgunned, and they have mutated Grimm, and maybe Fiends. We need a plan to avoid as much fighting as possible while also getting the information we need from their computers. Trust me; we don't want to fight more than we need to." Ren shook his head as his mind wandered to the train mission just a few weeks back. While he didn't feel remorse for his actions, it wasn't hard to see that what he had done might have been a little excessive.

 _ **Their deaths… your survival…**_ A voice filled his ears, sounding raspy and drawn out like an aged grandmother, yet it oddly came from within his head. Without thinking, the gunslinger planted his feet and took a look around him, only to find no one else except for Ruby nearby. _**Blood… follows… A trail… of death… awaits.**_

 _Who is talking?_ Ren thought, quite confused on the sourceless voice. His hand traveled to his hip, ready to create some sort of weapon in the case it was a mental attack. In the back of his mind, he was still trying to piece together what the voice said, but determining who said it was his first priority.

 _ **Your voice… of reason.**_

 _Voice of reason? You make it seem like I'm insane._

 _ **A life of sin… You wi-**_ "Ren!" Ruby cried, snapping the gunslinger from his internal conversation. Ren looked around again, the world coming back into focus as his mind returned to the task at hand. As he turned his attention to the red reaper in front of him, he could feel the presence that had accompanied the voice fall away, like that shadows that were hugging him loosened. "Are you okay? You just kinda stopped in the middle of the street."

"I'm fine," he lied, knowing full well that what he just experienced was anything but. However, he still felt that this wasn't something Ruby could help with and that she didn't need to worry. "Just was thinking of some plans, nothing more." Before she could respond, Ren had already begun moving once more down the road. If one thing was for sure though, he needed to ask this 'voice' more questions.

* * *

Yang flexed her right hand, which was now a metallic prosthetic. The gold colored mesh of wires and metal replaced what was once lost just a few months ago because of her recklessness. It felt odd after getting so used to not having one for the longest time, yet the natural senses that she used to take for granted were now as special to her as the return of her dominant arm. The weight felt a little off, but she could adjust. She had to if she wanted to be accomplishing anything.

Qrow stood next to her, examining her right arm while Tai stood back watching. "That should be good, kiddo," he told her as he pulled out his Scroll. A few taps later and a series of targets appeared roughly thirty feet from her. "Now, your arm has a built-in version of your Ember Celica. Just activate it as you would normally do so, and it will act just like the old one use to."

"I'll try," Yang replied as she turned towards the targets. It was awkward going through the practiced motion with a newly attached arm, but as Qrow said it worked like her old weapon did. The metal around her robotic wrist shifted around, creating a gauntlet near identical to the original. A band of shotgun shells rested in the chamber, ready to be fired.

She found the firing mechanism right where it was before, and turned towards the targets. Yang reeled her fist back and threw a mock punch, triggering the firing mechanism and sending the shell forwards with a trail of fire, striking the target in the chest. A wide grin formed on the brawler's face as she fired off more shots.

Qrow watched as his niece's light became brighter. The fire burning within had been rekindled and it was burning bright once more. He made a few more taps on his Scroll and a training robot rose from the ground. "There, that should keep her busy for a while," he declared as he pocketed the device, "If she destroys that thing, you're up Tai."

"Where are you heading, Qrow?" Taiyang asked, crossing his arms.

"Auron wanted me to help him make a new sword, said the one he had was a little unstable now that it was cut in half." Unstable was one way to put it. He saw the destruction in the aftermath of the guardian's dual with Adam Taurus, and it was not pretty. Comparing that to what Auron displayed during the tournament, the difference was monstrous.

"Alright, just don't go crazy," Tai warned with a chuckle.

"Hey, I'm not your other daughter."

"No, but who else is crazy enough to teach her how to wield a scythe?"

"I guess you got a point there."

"Just go." The brothers-in-law laughed as Qrow walked across the hall. As he opened the door, he watched as Auron and Jecht traded blows with their massive blades. Auron's Muramasa knocked back the Ancor Blade, twisting his body and dragging his left arm across the drunk's body. Normally, it wouldn't do much other than give your opponent something to grab on to. However, due to Auron's new appendage, it was like a blade running across his chest.

That was because it was, as Auron's new arm shifted into a katana blade. It wasn't powerful, but it wasn't meant to deal a lot of damage. Instead, it was an option for self-defense and too-close-for-comfort combat, rather than a primary attack strategy. It would also be a nasty surprise for those unluckily to take the hit, because who expects to be stabbed with someone's hand.

Jecht stumbled back and Auron brought down his blade upon the drunk, only to have it deflected by the even larger sword. Before the attack could be countered, Auron chanted, "Fira," and a fireball shot from his prosthetic arm/blade, impacting Jecht in the chest. As the former guardians regained their balance, a grin forms on their faces as they look towards one another.

"Nice to see you adjust quickly," Jecht said as he stood up straighter, "Spell's are new from you, but I guess you can only get so far by swinging your sword at all of your problems."

"Like you were any different," Auron quipped.

"I used a blitzball from time to time."

"Oh, I guess I forgot your ability to kick a thick rubber ball at someone. How frightening…" Auron finished with an uncharacteristic cocky grin before the two guardians of Braska broke into a fit of laughter. It was a moment they hadn't been able to share in over a decade, but there was a calming sense to know the two could still joke with each other like the good friends they became in the short time they knew each other.

As the laughter died down Auron's expression returned to a more serious one, but without the usual collar covering his mouth, it was much easier to see the somber tones setting in. "Still, the spells are quite draining. The only reason I can even use them now is because of the Semblance I now have in Remnant. At first, I thought all it did was allow me to use the Break attacks, but during the battle of Beacon, something just clicked after… after Anima appeared. I don't know what it was, but since then the other's abilities and spells flooded my mind."

Auron chanted softly and a crackle of electricity danced in his hand before he clutched his fist and the Thunder spell ended. "Support magic has been the easiest to learn, and the most taxing. Black magic spells aren't as tiring, but they require a bit more focus to make sure they hit. And then there is Copycat.

"The ability itself seems to allow me to copy any Semblance I have observed, up to two at a time, and use them as if I knew how they worked. However, I haven't been able to keep it up more than a few of minutes in a fight before I am completely drained of Aura. It will take time - time we don't really have - but I will master this. It is probably the best chance I have to protect everyone when we eventually take down Seymour."

"If you are going to take down that blue-haired bastard, you're going to need a better weapon," stated Qrow, alerting the two to his presence.

"Qrow, I didn't realize you were here," Auron said as he walked over towards him. "How much of that did you here?"

"Since you were talking about my drinking buddy kicking balls." Jecht nervously laughed as he slowly backed away from the conversation. Auron tossed a disapproving glance back before shaking his head. "Anyways, I've been told you need a new sword. Need some ideas or do you have something already?"

Auron fished out his Scroll from his pocket and opened up a document before handing it to Qrow. "Yang helped me with the blueprints, and you can use Masamune as the metal to forge it." The drunkard Hunter nodded along as he looked over the details of the weapon. Everything seemed to be in order for what the guardian wanted, aside from one small aspect.

"I am going to need more metal for this if I want to make sure the blade is going to be able to take attacks. With how fragile it is now that it is broken and with it weakening further during the forging process, I am going to need a bit more material to work with."

Auron thought for a moment before reaching behind his back and unlatching Muramasa from its magnetic clip. "I believe this should suffice."

Qrow grabbed the handle of the blade and took it from Auron's hand to make a quick inspection. "Yeah, this should do. I'll get started on this right away, but it might take a day or two."

"However long you need." Qrow nodded and walked off, resting the blade on his shoulder much like the guardian did. It wasn't long before he reached the school's forge and started it up. Taking one last swig from his flask, Qrow got to work on what would be quite a difficult task.

* * *

 **And there you have it. Airu, Neo, and Winter killed a Behemoth, Tidus is seeing things, Ren is hearing things, and Auron has a hand that shifts into a sword. Tell that summary to your friends and leave them scratching their heads.**

 **Joking aside, that is all I have this week. Barring any unforeseen tragedies, the next chapter should be up about a week before Valentines. And before any of you ask, there is no romance theme because I am not that sappy. Anyways, until next time, have fun.**


	16. Chapter 10: The Floating Ruins

**Back again for the bi-weekly update of this story. After last chapter's series of check-in's and preparations, I am sure you are all ready for some action, right. If not, too bad. As you will see with such a cleverly named title, this chapter will follow the Gullwings in their race for the sphere. And of course, there will be a twist because why wouldn't there be one.**

 **Anyways, there is no reason for me to keep talking, so I'll just cue the intro and you all can sit back and enjoy. _Side note, this will not be like most anime where the intro changes every 12 chapters. I am thinking more like 24, but that's beside the point._**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instrumental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimm lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the other seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 10: The Floating Ruins**

As the Celsius broke free of the clouds, the Gullwings took in the view of Mt. Gagazet. The white-capped mountain rose high enough to scrape the clouds. Snow glistened as the ship approached the recently discovered ruins atop of the mountain. "We're approaching the Floating Ruins now," Buddy announced over the ships intercoms.

"We're not going to have to climb all that, are we?" Rikku whined.

"No worries, I'll take you to the top." Rikku seemed content with the answer and went towards the deck of the ship, with Yuna, Paine, and Weiss in tow. Once they reached the summit, they looked around for a sturdy place to land to prevent a deadly plummet.

"There," Weiss pointed out. The others followed her finger towards a large stone slab, help up by two larger pieces of ruin. It was a bit lower than she would've liked, but another glance at the surrounding area showed no better options.

"Looks sturdy enough to me," Paine agreed before she jumped down. The others followed behind, landing on the piece of ancient stonework. As Yuna landed, the sudden change of height caused her vision to go blurry and she lost her balance. As she stumbled around dizzily her foot slipped and she fell back, off the stone slab the other Gullwings were on.

As she fell, Weiss turned to see her form starting to leave the slab and lunged forward. She managed to grasp the ex-summoner's hand before she could fall too far. "Don't worry… I got you," she reassured Yuna as she dangled. Rikku and Paine hurried over to their sides and the three of them pulled Yuna on to the stone slab and breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's your status?" Brother asked through the receiver.

"Dissateriffic, but we got in under control," Rikku told him.

"'Dissateriffic' isn't a word. Why can't you say 'disastrous' like everyone else?"

"That's coming from the guy who just learned to speak this language in the past year," Weiss quipped as the four girls took in the scenery.

"Crid ib! _(Shut up!)_ " Brother cried in his native language.

"Hu. _(No.)_ " Weiss replied in the same language, knowing the comment would get a rise out of him.

"Guys, settle down," Yuna suggested, "I'm alright, really. We better get moving though, we still have a bit of a climb ahead of us."

"Yuna's right guys, let's get going," Paine added, turning towards the ruins in front of them. The Floating Ruins looked like a long forgotten temple placed atop Mt. Gagazet. The broken structures and the treacherous path would make those afraid of heights have a terrible day as they looked to the clouds below. Atop the ruins, a structure seemed to be less destroyed when compared to the ruins YRPW needed to navigate through, and seemingly guarded by a force field of some kind.

The next ten minutes involved climbing over broken walls, through ruined hallways, and cautiously crossing hazardous bridges while dealing with the mountain's winds. They happened upon a rather large slab of stone connecting two sections of the ruins when they finally noticed a series of footsteps behind them. Thinking it was their own echoing off the walls, they continued forward along, until they realized there weren't any walls nearby. Suddenly, they all stopped but the footsteps behind them don't.

Weiss was the first to turn around, the others following suit as they find Leblanc and her henchmen standing behind her. Logos and Ormi were positioned on either side of her while Carrie remained just off to the side. The heiress glared at the assassin when they made eye contact. The response she got was a coy smile and a wink.

"It's the thief," Yuna declared as her hands hovered over her pistols. Weiss took a grip of her rapier as well while the four girls stared down the thief and her gang.

"The name's Leblanc, you'd do well to remember it loves," she replied in a seductive tone. Her tone got a tad more serious as she continued, "And just who are you calling a thief anyway. Honestly, this is what I hate about amateurs."

Rikku leaned in closer to the other girls. "Do you think if we ignore her, she would go away?" she asked.

"No, she is too much of a rash to be ignored," Weiss argued, getting a giggle from the other girls.

"Hey, I heard that you bitch!" The heiress's eyebrow twitched in irritation as her grip tightened around her blade. _Calm yourself down Weiss,_ she told herself, _she is just trying to get a rise out of you. Just like Airu use to do. Airu…_ An image of the harpy flashed in her mind, reminding her exactly why she wanted to search for spheres; to go home to her. _If she wants to play that way, I'm game._

"Good, then listen up; leave now and you won't find a rapier shoved up your ass." _Guess she wasn't the best influence for me all things considered, but that really doesn't matter right now._

"Ha, like you could take me on and win. Try again in about ten years."

"Uh, we beat you," Rikku pointed out, "It wasn't even a week ago."

"That was three-on-one, hardly fair odds. Still, it won't matter anyway since we'll be taking that sphere now." Leblanc motioned for her underlings to follow as she fired off a Thunder spell towards the Gullwings. The quartet of women jumped back to avoid lighting bolt that scorched the stone. Weiss recovered first and charged after the syndicate leader.

"Liquid Steel!" she chanted as a glyph covered her rapier and enchanted her weapon with the Water element. Weiss swiped her blade towards Leblanc, only to instead meet a large shield. Ormi's grin celebrating his successful defense of his boss was soon washed away as a torrent of water sprayed out from the point of impact and sent him onto his back.

Before the heiress could return her attention to Leblanc, she stumbled to the side as she was smacked with the blunt end of a hook blade. Staggering away, Weiss turned to face the assassin only to be greeted with the weapon being jabbed into her gut. To her fortune, it did not cut into her skin. However, it did cause Weiss to double over in pain as the air was forced out of her lungs. She wasn't given a moment to catch her breath, much to her displeasure, as Carrie brought her heel around and drove it into her head.

Weiss was sent a few feet towards the edge, stopping before she could fall to the base of the mountain below. Carrie grinned before parrying Paine's attempt at a surprise attack. The much large blade was expertly deflected to the side before the assassin stabbed forward with her dagger. Paine moved her head to the side to dodge but still received a small cut under her eye.

"Get the sphere, I'll deal with these two," Carrie commanded.

"Don't give me orders, assassin," Leblanc snapped back as she turned to her henchmen. "Ormi stay here and back her up; Logos come with me." The two ran past the others towards the path leading up to the ruins. Ormi pushed himself back to his feet and raised his shield.

Paine looked between the two situations and grunted as she readied her sword once more. "I'll stay here and help Weiss, you two stop Leblanc and grab the sphere," she declared as she rushed to join her while themed friend. Yuna and Rikku nodded and hurried after Leblanc and Logos.

Carrie waited patiently as Weiss got back on her feet next to Paine. Once the heiress was back in a fighting position, the assassin readied herself as well to parry incoming attacks. "I do hope you make interesting this time, after all our last fight got cut quite short."

Neither girl got a chance to respond before the assassin dashed forward. Paine moved up to meet her but as she swung her sword down upon Carrie, she leaped over the Gullwing and brought her hookblade in an overhead swing. Weiss deflected the strike with ease, sending it back at an angle that would leave the assassin open. Adjusting her arms momentum, the heiress transitioned into a flurry of jabs with her rapier.

Carrie smirked as the attacks came towards her before smoke enveloped her body. Each of the precise strikes passed harmlessly through her form. "Shadow Dash!" the assassin chanted as her form condensed into a sphere of darkness before it darted forward. Weiss, not sure of exactly what the ball would do, rolled to the side to get away from it. As she righted her self, Carrie's body reformed where she had once been with her blade swinging for the spot that should have contained her neck.

Not one to leave an opening, Weiss charged back in with her rapier slashing forward. Carrie twisted her body away from the heiress and deflected the attack with her dagger. The assassin brought her other elbow back into Weiss's face before following it up with a roundhouse kick that sent the heiress closer to the edge. Her other heel slammed into the same spot, nearly forcing Weiss off the platform into the mountain range below.

The heiress regained her balance to the best of her ability while still keeping an eye on her opponent's movement. It proved beneficial to watch the assassin, as she brought her hookblade up for another attack. "Riposte!" Weiss's rapier glowed white as she parried the blunt edge of the opposing sword. With a flick of her wrist, she brought her blade back down upon the assassin. The slash tore partly through the assassin's clothing and a thin line of crimson red, forcing her to Shadow Dash away to avoid further injury.

It was then that Paine jumped away from a massive shield crashing into the stone right next to Carrie. The assassin was knocked to the ground and was quickly kicked for her troubles by the darker clad Gullwing. Her celebration was short lived as the much larger henchmen slapped her from his co-worker with his shield, knocking her a good foot or so away. Weiss was by her side a moment later.

"Got any bright ideas," Paine asked as she readied herself once more. She hadn't taken too many shots from Ormi, but the ones she did hurt and it didn't help stop the trickle of blood that was still running down her cheek.

"One, but I will need thirty seconds," Weiss responded as she assumed a fighting stance of her own. "Think you could get me that."

"Perhaps, just try to drop the big guy first. Once he's down, she shouldn't be too much trouble." Weiss nodded and stepped back for a moment. Paine remained as she was, carefully watching her opponents' movements. Carrie wasn't one to wait though, as evident by the dagger flying towards Paine. Reacting quickly, she brought her sword up and knocked the projectile back, right into the awaiting assassin's hand.

With her knife in a reverse grip, Carrie slammed the pommel of the weapon into the side of the Gullwing's face. The impact was right above the cut from earlier and opened the wound further with a squirt of blood. Paine staggered to the side but was quickly brought back as the hookblade loosely gripped the back of her neck and pulled her closer to the assassin's kneecap that was rising to meet her.

Paine slammed into the ground from the knee strike and quickly covered her most likely broken nose to stop some of the bleeding. With her hand covering her face, she almost missed the growing shadow of her body. Connecting the dots quickly as to what could be causing it, she immediately rolled to the side and struggled to her feet just in time to avoid becoming a pancake. Instead, Ormi body slammed himself into solid stone, causing their platform to shake precariously.

The black-clad Gullwing shook her hand to remove some of the fresh blood from her glove in attempts to cover her bloodied nose. The knee had nailed her right in the nose and shoved much of the cartilage back into her face. What remained tore and burst the blood vessels in her nasal region, resulting in the crimson mess around her lips which was bleeding even more profusely than the cut along her cheek.

Instincts kicked in and told her to block her side, and the sound of clashing steel confirmed to her that it saved her from a possible worse injury. Pushing aside the attack, Paine knocked away Carrie's hook blade and turned the parry into a butterfly kick. Both of her feet slammed into the assassin's face with a staggered rhythm before she landed once more and immediately brought her blade into an upward slash.

Carrie barely noticed the blade before it was too late, nearly avoiding what would have been a fatal strike. Instead, the attack merely grazed her skin near her eye. She would have made some comment about missing the attack or it being barely a scratch, but her attention went to the burning sensation that was causing part of her vision go red. Feeling above her eyebrow, the assassin pulled her fingers away to find them covered with blood as well.

"Lucky shot," she scoffed as she rubbed the blood from her eyes. "That won't happen again. Now!" On her cue, Ormi climbed to his feet and launched himself towards Paine in a manner that was much quicker than a man of his size should possess.

"Pot Shot!" Ormi's charge was halted as a bullet crashed into his chest and sent him flying back. The shot managed to strike his armor in a way that wouldn't kill him, but it was still enough to cause a lot of pain that would leave him out of the fight for a little while. Carrie and Paine turned towards Weiss as she leveled her guns on the assassin, having changed to her Gunner Dressphere.

"Trigger Happy!" Paine dived away even before the volley of bullets were even fired. Carrie wasn't as fortunate to avoid the attack as Weiss pulled both triggers and let StormFlower do its job of unleashing Hell upon her target. To the heiress's dismay, however, the shots passed harmlessly through the assassin's form before it condensed back into shadows and darted towards her partner. As her guns clicked empty, Weiss let up on the triggers and lowered them while Paine came over to her side.

Carrie grumbled something under her breath as she stood over Ormi with her hand putting pressure on her chest wound while the cut above her eye continued bleeding. "Well, this was fun girls, but I am afraid the boss has received more than enough time to get the sphere. Next time you won't be so lucky, since we will be fighting on my terms then." She kicked the larger man once, who was just now getting to his feet. "Let's go you fat oaf."

The two syndicate members turned to shadows once more and darted back the way they came from. The white and black Gullwings let out a sigh in unison as they relaxed. "Thanks for the assist," Paine said as she pulled off the blood-soaked gloved and used it to cover her still bleeding nose. "You wouldn't happen to have a potion on you."

"I might," Weiss stated as she switched back to her Spell Fencer outfit. Without anything else to say, she turned around and started after Yuna and Rikku.

"Do you think I could use it? This bloody nose isn't going to heal itself." Her response was a glass vial flying towards her. Reaching up, she caught it with an empty hand and quickly downed the green healing tonic. Her wounds slowly began closing up and ensuring that they would fully heal properly. There was still some light bleeding from her nose, but far less than before. Using the unstained side of her glove, she wiped the rest of the blood off her face to at least look semi-presentable.

"Now let's get going, Yuna and Rikku are probably waiting for us with the sphere."

* * *

 **And that concludes the first part of the Floating Ruins. It wasn't originally going to be an entire chapter dedicated to just this fight, but with some of the changes I am making and the way the fight turned out, there wasn't much to add to this scene. Also, the first draft of this fight wasn't as bloody, but with the difference of tone compared to FFX-2, I think it fits.**

 **For those of you also wondering about the abilities the Sword Fencer Dressphere uses, here's a list of all the abilities I have confirmed.**

 *** Flametounge - Fire enchantment to attacks**

 *** Ice Brand - Ice enchantment to attacks**

 *** Liquid Steel - Water enchantment to attacks**

 *** Thunder Blade - Lightning enchantment to attacks**

 *** Spider's Kiss - Poison enchantment to attacks**

 *** Sleep Blade - Sleep enchantment to attacks**

 *** Basilisk Steel - Petrification enchantment to attacks**

 *** Tounge Twister - Silence enchantment to attacks**

 *** Riposte - Parry and counter attack**

 **Her fighting style with her Spell Fencer is based off of how she would fight in RWBY, just without glyphs. This is also meant to replace the Warrior Dressphere, so it needed to be different enough to make an entirely new job just for Weiss. In essence, it is a warrior class with elemental and status buffs to attacks and a counter ability. It also has higher speed and attack rather than defense and HP.**

 **Anyways, that is enough rambling. Until next we meet, have a nice time.**


	17. Chapter 11: Voices

**First of all, I am sorry this is a day late. I had every intention to have this yesterday, but I ended up almost completely rewriting this chapter. Mix that with some writer's block, exams this week, and an update from CIV 6, and I just got it done at like midnight (CST) last night. I wanted to make sure General Texas got a look at it first though, but he got back to me pretty quickly so here it is.**

 **Anyway, enough of my rambling, you are here for a story, not me. So sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instrumental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimm lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the other seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Voices**

Auron and Yang stood across from each other on opposite sides of the training room. Jecht, Tai, and Qrow remained on a higher platform away from the two. "Now, as I am sure you are aware by now," Jecht began, turning towards the blond brawler, "Fiends are capable of using magic. Some of it is combat, some of it is support based. It is all about knowing what to look for, and how to avoid it."

Qrow stepped forward and continued the explanation. "As Auron here is the only one able to cast it, due to the nature of his Semblance, he will help demonstrate it for you Yang. Plus his experience from Spira should prove useful in teaching you how things will work with Fiends. So, without further ado, Auron take it away."

"Thank you," the guardian said, "Now then, shall we begin."

"Just get on with it," Yang requested, "Don't make this into one of Professor RagingKey's lessons. He could get boring sometimes."

"If that's how you want it, fine. Blizzaga!" Auron shot his flesh arm out as icy energy formed around the palm before a large ice shard blasted towards the blonde brawler. Yang had barely a moment to react and dodge, narrowly avoiding the large chunk of ice barreling towards her.

"What the Hell was that?!"

"Blizzaga, third level ice spell. Strong against fire-based Fiends or anyone with a flame-based affinity. That will be the spell you would most likely want to avoid. This, however, won't hurt as much. Firaga!" The energy around his hand crackled with flames as a giant fireball fired towards Yang. Not reacting fast enough, she was forced to raise her arms in defense as the fire rushed over her.

"Firaga is also a third level spell. Strong against ice-based opponents and won't do much to you thanks to your Semblance. However, just because it doesn't do much damage, doesn't mean you should just tank it every time. It is better to avoid damage if you can, even with your Semblance's effect. Remember, the stronger you are, the closer you are to death."

"I get it, avoid magic, even if it is fire."

"Good, now the other elements are Thunder and Water. Each are strong against each other, but will still hurt if struck with it. I am pretty sure our Fiend Studies teacher covered it in class before, but a refresher never hurt anyone. Now what he never went over are many of the other spells. Not many of your average Fiend know them, and most that do usually walked alone.

"These spells consume a lot more energy but what they do are often worth the cost, so bear with me if I seem a little weak. Reflect absorbs and returns a magic spell cast on a target back at the caster. Allow me to demonstrate. Reflect!" A light blue sphere surrounded Qrow for a brief moment before dissipating into thin air. "Even though you can't see it, it's still there. So if you see it being cast, don't use magic. Thankfully you don't use it, or at least not yet. If you did, this would happen. Thunder!"

Lightning crackled around his right arm as a bright yellow bolt of pure electric energy bolted towards the dusty old crow. Tai and Jecht jumped out of the way to avoid the Thunder spell while Qrow tried to block it with his arms. He never felt the shock as the spell impacted the now visible sphere of energy before bouncing back at Auron, who had already jumped back to avoid the return fire of his spell.

"Hey, watch where you're firing that!" Qrow cried out.

"I knew what was going to happen," the guardian replied, continuing to look at Yang as he did so. "Any magic spells used against a Reflect spell will bounce the spell against the caster, or their opponent if the caster is the one who hits it. I remember during Yuna's pilgrimage that we used that spell to heal our wounds whenever the Fiend tried to cast Curaga on itself." As he finished speaking, Auron set himself into an open stance with his right arm raised. Swinging his left arm out to the side, it shifted into its blade form that stayed outside of his shoulders.

"While I could explain to you how each spell works in a physical sense, there isn't much more to worry yourself with. Should the need arise, I can explain it to the best of my ability. For now, let's see you apply it to practice."

Yang grinned as she raised her flesh and robotic arms into her boxing stance, the Ember Celica variations on each wrist extending to form bright yellow gauntlets with a ring of shotgun shells ready to be fired. "Now we're talking," she replied, "I was starting to think you're age would catch up to you and you'd collapse before we actually got to fight."

"My age just means I have more experience to use against you."

"Then bring it, _Old Man_." The two charge into battle, going back and forth trading blows and sending projectiles everywhere. While Auron's reflect spell prevented any spells from hitting Qrow, Jecht, or Tai, they couldn't say the same for the occasional shotgun blast from Yang, being forced to dodge now and again. Despite this, Tai attempted to make conversation with his Brother-in-law.

"Hey, there was something I've meant to ask you about," he began.

"Auron's weapon is going to take at least a day to cool the metal so that it is safe enough to implement the Dust mechanism he wants," Qrow answered, not knowing the question. "I already put it in the mold, so I won't have to worry about it tomorrow."

"Thanks," Tai shrugged, scratching the back of his neck as he did so, "But that wasn't what I was going to ask. When did we last hire a new janitor?"

"A few years ago, why?"

"Because when we were about to enter, this weird man with a thick black beard began spouting something off about Abigail while trying to touch Yang. He was wearing our janitor's clothing, so I was unsure if he was just weird, or somewhere he doesn't belong."

"Abigail…" Qrow trailed off, wracking his brain to figure out if he had ever heard the name. "Must be some wack job, but he doesn't work here, I can tell you that." Qrow's glare turned serious as he turned to look at Tai. "I have a feeling something bad is going to happen soon, but I just don't know what it will be." Almost on cue, a shotgun shell crashed into his skull, staggering the trained Huntsmen for a moment. Instinct told him to grab his weapon, but his brain acted faster, due to a lack of alcohol at the moment, and stopped himself from firing at Yang and Auron. The two of them were practically engulfed in flames as the two of them were converting the damage they had taken into power that followed their attacks. "I don't mean that."

* * *

Yuna leaped into the air, avoiding the bullet from a revolver-head snake known as a Recoil, and fired back with her twin pistols. Three of the rounds found purchase in its skin, allowing Rikku to tear through it with her dual daggers. The machina fell with a small explosion as the Al Bhed girl raised her blades to block the claw of a Goon.

The ex-summoner focused and fired a Cheap Shot at the Goon's weak point, ignoring his defense as he collapsed in pain with his hands covering his groin. While down, Rikku planted a solid knee to his chin, knocking him out. Finding that no one was near them, they continued climbing up the ruins, making considerable time by finding shortcuts, allowing the two girls to get closer to Leblanc and Logos.

"We're catching up to them," Yuna announced as they hit the final stretch of stonework. Rikku's footsteps thumped the ground as the blonde reached the same platform. The two took only a few steps before their platform shook and threatened to knock them off balance.

"Great, what now," Rikku complained as she readied her daggers for a fight once more. Looking further down the stonework, a large brown Fiend with four purple-tipped horns blocked their path. Its jaw was coated with fire as it reared its canine-like head towards the Gullwings with a challenging roar.

"It's a Quadricorn, so be careful," Yuna explained as she began firing at the Fiend. Rikku nodded and charged forward, using her speed to get around to the side. Bullets whizzed past her before impacting the Ruminant's thick hide. Some managed to pierce its hide, but for the most part, they just angered the Fiend who snarled at the ex-summoner.

Like a bull, the Quadricorn scratched its hoof along the stone, and it prepared to charge. Before it could, a sharp pain dug into its hind legs and cut the feeling from it. Looking behind to the source of the pain, the Fiend found the young Al Bhed girl jamming her daggers into its muscles and cutting its hamstrings. In anger, it opened its mouth for the flames to glow brighter in preparation for a fireball.

The attack was cut short as the flames were extinguished and instead were replaced with a spout of blood. The Quadricorn stumbled around aimlessly before falling over and off the platform with a hole in its head. Rikku let out an exhausted breath as Yuna moved over to her side. "Thanks, Yunie," Rikku said as she sheathed her daggers. "Now come on, we can't let Leblanc beat us."

"Right." With a quick nod, the two were continuing up the ruins. In just moments, the pair reached the final structure with two branching paths that both lead to the chamber at the top. Out of the corner of their eyes, they noticed Leblanc and Logos already making their way up the right path. Said path was also much more stable and contained fewer holes in the path.

"Tsk, they don't give up, do they," Leblanc grumbled as the Gullwings were debating which path to take. The syndicate leader focused her magic and stared the two girls down. "Well then, let's see how they like this. Thunder!" Her fan snapped shut as she pointed it towards the pair, sending a bolt of electricity towards the two.

Seeing it coming, Rikku tensed up a little in fear while Yuna pulled her away from the spell. However, that also chose which path to take for them, as they soon found out when Yuna's foot failed to find the ground and began falling through the missing half of the ruin's path. Rikku held onto her arm tighter and stopped her friend's decent to the mountain below and managed to pull the ex-summoner back onto the stonework.

"Thanks," Yuna said as she steadied herself on the pathway. "I guess she chose us."

"Well we can't let her beat us, so let's get moving," Rikku replied. Yuna nodded, and the two began climbing up the path, being careful not to step into any of the holes. It wasn't long before they reached the end of the path, where the ruins had left a ten-foot wide gap. The Gullwings skidded to a stop to keep themselves from falling over.

Rikku glanced over at the nearby wall trying to think of a plan to get up to the top when she got an idea. "Yunie, up here," she said as she leaned back against the wall. "I'll give you a boost."

"How will you get up then?" Yuna asked.

"Don't worry about me, just get the sphere." Reluctantly agreeing, Yuna nodded and ran towards Rikku, who had her hands cupped together. The ex-summoner planted her foot in her friend's hands as Rikku pushed her up. As her leg was raised further, Yuna pushed off it into a jump that sent her towards the top of the wall. She barely grabbed the ledge about fifteen feet up and slowly pulled herself up.

Glancing around, Yuna examined the platform carefully, keeping an eye out for Leblanc's Syndicate. However, she found nothing except an open door leading into some chamber. Yuna pulled out one of her pistols and began approaching the room. She was about halfway across the when she heard footsteps running up the opposite side of the platform.

She turned towards the sound quickly with her pistol aimed at whatever was approaching. Her suspicions were confirmed when both Leblanc and Logos appeared on the other side. The two stopped once they saw the lone Gullwing pointing a gun at them. "It would seem they beat us here," Logos stated.

"The sphere is ours, Leblanc, we were here first," Yuna declared, not moving her pistol away from the rival treasure hunters. Leblanc just laughed at her like she just told a funny joke.

"I don't recall saying that you could have the sphere if you beat us up here," the syndicate leader said. "In fact, I remember saying that I would be taking that sphere. I would highly recommend backing down dear."

"Why should I give up our find to a group of thieves like yourself?"

"Because you're outnumbered and outgunned, love. It's two-on-one, and I highly doubt your little pea shooter will be all that effective." Yuna fired at Leblanc in attempts to prove her wrong, but the syndicate leader saw the attack coming and deflected the shot with her fan. "See what I mean."

The ex-summoner growled in frustration before channeling her Garment Grid to switch Dressphere. "No you don't, little girl," Logos said as he drew one of his revolvers and fired it at Yuna, forcing her to abandon her plans. In response, she began returning fire, but the nimble henchman avoided each of her shots and forced her to dodge lest she be knocked upside her head with the butt of his pistol.

"Thunder!" That set her up to be right in the line of fire of Leblanc's spell. The lightning crashed into her side and sent shocks through her body, forcing her to stumble away from the two. Yuna fell to one knee, her hand covering the burns on her side while Leblanc and Logos stood over her.

"So this is the power of a summoner without their precious Aeons? Pitiful." Leblanc drove her point in further by stomping down on the summoner's head. Yuna's face met the stone floor, and she tasted the dirt. She tried pushing her head back up, but the syndicate leader just applied more pressure. "Just face it, love, you're nothing but a pretty face who is better-suited hiding behind a group of guardians. You were only useful in bringing upon this Eternal Calm, but that is where you should've stopped."

Yuna continued trying to get up, but each attempt was met with more resistance. Don't tell me that's all you got. A voice rang out in her head. She tried her best to ignore it and pushed up once more. The ex-summoner managed to get her head up about five inches before it was slammed back into the ground once more, this time cutting up her cheek a bit.

As the blood seeped from her face onto the ground, the voice made itself known once more. _Giving up already, I thought you were stronger than that. Maybe the bitch was right, and you are just a pretty face guarded by others._ Yuna planted her hands on the ground once more, as if to prove the voice wrong. _Good, good. I suppose I could help you out just this once, but the next time you'll really have to earn it, alright._

Leblanc pushed harder against the resistance, determined to keep the summoner's head in the dirt until she submitted, but it was getting harder and harder to do so. "You're too stubborn for your own good, girl," she grunted out. Frustrated, the syndicate leader pushed her foot down harder and brought her other foot into the air before stomping down with it. The force should have planted her face into the stone, had it not been physically pushed down further.

Instead of a hard impact, her head lowered into the hole and caused Leblanc to lose her balance and fall into it. Yuna's hands remained in contact with the ground, however, and a foot wide and a foot deep crater seemed to emanate from around her hands. Pushing herself to her feet, she stared down the other two as brown flames flickered by her eyes. Logos waisted little time and fired from his revolver.

The ex-summoner reacted on instinct and covered her face with a cross guard. She felt no pain, however, but instead heard the bullet crash into stone. Opening her eyes that she didn't know she closed, she found a crumbling rock wall in front of her. "Huh, that's new," Yuna said to herself as she stared down the syndicate once more. Leblanc looked ready to burst out in anger at Yuna, only for something to draw her attention above her.

"Just great," she grumbled, "You win this one Dullwing, but don't think you'll be so lucky next time." Without another word, Leblanc turned and began running back down the ruins. Yuna let out a sigh of relief, and the flames by her eyes died out. She took another moment to compose herself before looking ahead once more into a pair of deep blue eyes and two large fangs. The Fiend before chittered before trying to bite at the ex-summoner, but she managed to leap back in time to avoid the possibly venomous attack.

"More Fiends?" Yuna asked herself before pulling out her pistol once more. The sound of someone running towards her backside prompted her to glance behind her, only to be greeted by a friendly face this time.

"Don't worry Yunie, I've got you're back," Rikku declared as she moved next to Yuna. A few seconds later, two more people joined her.

"I hope you haven't forgotten about us," Weiss said.

"Sorry we're late, that assassin is very hard to hit," Paine added as she some blood off her nose. "For now, let's deal with this oversized spider."

"Right. Gullwings, let's go."

* * *

Ren Glain entered his room within the inn and closed the door behind him. He didn't bother turning on the lights; he wasn't going to need them right now anyway. The windows were slammed shut, and the curtains were drawn for good measure. Complete darkness. The gunslinger sat down on the side of his bed, feet touching the ground to keep a sense of location within the darkness.

"Can you hear me?" he asked the empty room. There was no response as the still silence remained in the room. "I'm not crazy, I know I heard a voice in my head." Nothing. "Is this how it's going to be? We only speak when it's convenient for you." Silence. "Oh, I see, you want me to just keep talking to the non-existent voice in my head long enough to make other's think I am crazy, and when they walk into the room, then you'll start talking. What an asshole."

Finally, there was something, a snicker. A small sign of amusement from something he could tell came from within his own mind, as there was no one else who could have said it. _**You amuse me…**_ the voice said, _**You… deny me… what… you can… truly do… yet you… attempt to… converse… It… is funny...**_

"So glad I can humor the fucked up side of my brain trying to turn me into a murdering psychopath."

 _ **You… do not… understand… I… only wish… for you… to be strong… once again…**_

"I'm strong enough now."

 _ **YOU ARE WEAK!**_ Ren reeled back and slammed his head back onto the bed with his hands clutching either side of his face. The ringing in his skull felt like a crushing blow to his brain, and it took a few moments before it finally subsided. _**You were… powerful before… Before… Hell's lord… He… made you… weak… Blood… no longer… flows like… a river… You… barely… make… a splash…**_

"I'm not like that."

 _ **Bodies… do not… follow you… anymore…**_

"I'm not like that."

 _ **Their… worthless lives… are spared… because… you… are… weak...**_

"I'm not like that!" Ren slammed his fists on the bed in anger. "What I did then wasn't me, it was the warped image Lucy molded me into. But now he's gone and I can do with my life what I want."

 _ **He… may be… gone… but you… are not… as different… as… you would… like to ...believe…**_ The voice faded away, leaving the gunslinger in silence once more. He remained lying across the side of the bed and sighed, exhausted from the mental argument. One question remained in his mind, however. "Am I really the same as I was then?"

* * *

 **Well, that was a bit of a ride. We got to see a bit of Yuna's Maiden powers, because she got those at the end of ROAD, remember. As for why they are Earth-based rather than Cinder's fire... I ain't telling.**

 **As for why Leblanc seems to be a bit more of a bi- villain now that she was in FFX-2, wasn't she always. I know she ends up working with the Gullwings after a few encounters, but overall she wasn't the nicest person beforehand. It makes sense she would want to get rid of the competition as Sphere Hunters are in it for the money usually. Having fewer groups opposing them means more spheres for them to find. Plus she has already been established to know who Yuna was prior to FFX-2, as she specifically used Yuna's appearance to perform for the crowd in Luca stadium. If she didn't know Yuna was a big face, why bother taking her appearance like that.**

 **On a side note, we did get to see more of the internal struggle between Ren and his voice, which is a lot more talkative. That will be coming into play later, but for now, I am sure some of you have tests to take or projects to do. For now, I wish you good luck, and until next time, have a good one.**


	18. Chapter 12: Arachnid Terrors

_**Edit: It occurred to me as I was posting the next chapter that I forgot to post this one two weeks ago. I am sorry, but I must've been tired when I finished and just forgot to publish it. Again, I am sorry, but I hope you enjoy this double dose.**_

 **And we're back again as we continue the story. First thing's first, apologies for the very late upload, I had a lot of homework to take care of and some projects to finish up before Spring Break and that just took up all of my time. I got this done last night and just got it back from General Texas a couple of hours ago. So, here it is, at midnight a day late.**

 **Speaking of which, I will be moving upload dates to Wednesdays from now on, just because it works with my schedule a little better, as Wednesdays are some of the easier days I have as a whole. So that means the next chapter will be two weeks from today on the 21st of March, and going every two weeks from there.**

 **Anyways, enough of me rambling on, there's a story to be read. So sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instrumental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimm lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the other seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Arachnid Terrors**

The crackle of a small fire filled the small cave as Airu, Neo, and Winter took the time to warm up, relax, and wait out the heavy snowfall that began raging on moments ago. Neo had decided to try and get to sleep as soon as possible, claiming a spot near the fire that would keep her petite form warm enough. Airu and Winter remained awake, opting to wake the criminal once it was her turn to keep watch. Silence followed that decision, and aside from the crackle of the flames and the sleeping mute, with was an option.

That silence was broken after a few minutes when Winter let out a sigh and laid down in the snow. "I know, it's been a long day," Airu said, trying to console the specialist. "Honestly, I don't know if this will all be worth it in the long run or not. It doesn't get us any closer to Weiss, and I am following the few threads I have of someone I've never met from my dreams."

"Sometimes it's best to set aside one problem and focus on another," Winter replied from the ground. "When we do so, our mind subconsciously continues putting all the pieces together from what we know. Meanwhile, we solve the other issue actively with the rest of our brain, and in a sense kill two birds with one stone."

"Yeah, your right. I just feel… like I'm dragging you along on my whims. What if what I am doing means nothing, and has been completely wrong? We spent three months searching Remnant for Weiss, and we found nothing. What if this is just the same?"

"Think like that, and nothing will ever get done." The specialist sat up and gave the harpy a stern look. "We will find Airu, we will find this Tuz Madar who claims to be your mother, and we will reunite our families."

Airu stayed silent for a few moments, just letting Winter's words sink in. The storm raged on behind them, wind gusting outside the cave. The flames continued crackling and burning through the woodpile that was keeping them all warm. "Yeah… we will find them," she decided. "Now that is easier said than done. What's the plan?"

"Well, let's discuss what we know once more. At least that will allow us to think through everything from square one again. Let's start with what happened when Weiss disappeared."

"Alright," Airu said as she thought back to the Battle of Beacon. "I had just met back up with Weiss after battling with Roman. We were trying to make sure everyone was accounted for from our teams when Weiss got a call from Jaune. Apparently, Tidus and Pyrrha were both going to fight Cinder at the top of Beacon tower, and he wanted to make sure they were okay. Ruby, Weiss, and I all decided to go after them and give them some back-up. From there we had to fight through many Fiends and Grimm before we reached the base of the tower.

"Everything happened so fast from there. One minute we were fighting, the next Weiss is pushing me out of the way. I don't know exactly what happened, but I barely caught a glimpse of Cinder's body as she fell from the sky and landed on Weiss. There was a flash, and she wasn't there, and Myrtenaster was left behind. Ruby screamed, and then everything went white before we all woke up in the hospital at different times."

"And from there we searched across the globe of her, starting in Vale," Winter concluded. "We found nothing. What are we missing though? It shouldn't be all that hard to find someone as recognizable as her."

Airu was about to respond when she felt the buzzing of her Scroll in her pocket, which she pulled out to find a message from Neo. _Cinder wanted the power of the Fall Maiden. The previous host was in the basement of Beacon._ Her eyes widened as she read the message and her mind wandered back to what RagingKey had told them back before the finals of the tournament.

"The Maidens had a connection to Spira, didn't they," Airu muttered to herself.

"What are you saying Airu?" Winter asked.

"I think I have a theory as to where Weiss may be, but I can't think of an easy way to get there."

"And where might that be."

"Spira."

* * *

The Forgotten Ruins were a relic of history, one that's purpose has been long forgotten. Still, it housed maybe the most crucial piece of technology on the Isle, the Dimensional Portal. Deep within the dusty grey stone buildings that have long since been reduced to rubble, the artifact rests inside.

It was built seven hundred years ago, as a gift to the Warriors of the past. Together, hundreds of Warriors battled the ancient demon that nearly drove the Isle to extinction. They weren't natives though. Instead, they emerged from the rips of Space and Time the monstrous demon caused as it murdered anything it could find. Many joined the fight and subdued the demon and forced it to retreat, but many more lost their lives. The Portal was built to send these Warriors back home, back to their own place in Space and Time.

RagingKey walked through the barren grounds, his black boots clapping every time he stepped, causing the sound to echo through the abandoned city. He came to an open courtyard where he noticed part of the ground was stained with a very dull red, though the blood causing it had been there for years, and he paid no mind to it as he took a right.

The building now to his left was still mostly intact, though what were once windows were now clear openings into the building. Reaching up, he gripped the ledge about seven feet off the ground, and pulled himself over the wall with ease, landing on the stone ground below. With an uninterested expression, he stood up and turned towards the steel door. Unlike the rest of the building, this was new and reinforced.

He approached it and typed a few keys into the pin pad next to it, and opened the door. Inside, it was much different than the ruins surrounding the building. The room was dark, with blue metal walls and cords running all over the place. On the far side, the large round metal ring of the portal sat with no energy running through it.

Next to it was a large computer that ran the machine, and in the chair was a young man. He was roughly twenty years old, with light stubble on his face as his short brown hair sat atop his head. The young man was dressed in red robes similar to that of a mage in other worlds and a wooden staff next to him, with the top carved to look like a cobra.

"Working hard or hardly working?" Rage asked the young man, shaking him from his work to turn around in the chair.

"A little of both," he admitted, "Ren forgot to teach me how to work this thing, but after a year I think I got some idea of what to do. At least now I can open and close portals without much issue."

"Well, that's good. It would be nice to see some new faces in the tournament for a change. Make sure it happens Mangus Glain."

"I'll try. Speaking of which, how is Ren doing? It's been a year since he and Airu went on that recon mission."

"Currently solving the world's problems, but to be honest I haven't been looking after him the last three months. Aside from worrying about what exactly is causing the problems, I've had to keep an eye on the new pieces on the board. He's alive though, so don't worry about that."

"Well, if you see him again, tell him I say hi."

"Will do." Mangus nodded and returned to his work. As he did, Rage stepped out of the room and building. Once he was back on the street, he turned to the mountain and disappeared in a blur of speed.

* * *

The Gullwings rolled to either side as the arachnid Fiend, Boris, charged the group. Weiss was the first to recover, leaping back towards the Fiend with her rapier covered in flames. "Flametounge!" she chanted as her blade made contact and an explosion of fire followed the attack. The creature roared in pain and spun around, knocking the heiress away from it.

Boris spotted the attacker and began moving forward. It stopped once a series of bullets crashed into its thick exoskeleton and turned its attention towards the ex-summoner. "Liquid Steel!" Paine jammed her blade into the back of the Fiend with a watery blast that resulted in another guttural cry of pain. In a move that was unbefitting of its size, Boris leaped and completed a half flip before landing, slamming its back and any unwanted visitors into the ground.

The arachnid Fiend rolled back to its feet and took a couple of swipes at the dumbfounded Yuna. The ex-summoner was launched back without too much damage but still ended up on her back. Rikku ducked under another claw strike and jumped up to the Fiend's face, her daggers ready to impale its eyes. Boris was a little more prepared than she was expecting and instead caught the Al Bhed in its mouth before spitting her back out next to Yuna and Paine, who were both getting to their feet.

The Fiend was showing its pain though, as it seemed to stumble around a little more than usual. However, that didn't make the fight any easier, as a cornered animal fights harder when it has nothing to lose. Boris made another roar before spitting out three thick webs at each of the girls in front of it. Still struggling with the previous attacks, the Spirian Gullwings weren't able to dodge in time, and each of them were encased with the webbing.

They all struggled against their bindings, but the material was actually pretty strong, preventing them from getting out. The Fiend moved closer to the Gullwings, ready to feast on its next meal now that they were caught. However, it soon realized that it forgot the fourth member of the group, but by then it was too late. "Basilisk Steel!" Weiss landed on top of the Fiend and drove her rapier into the back of its head. It attempted to roar in pain, but its body was quickly turning to stone. Weiss jumped off and landed gracefully while the petrification completed. With a flourish, the heiress swept her blade to the side as Boris shattered into a million small pieces.

"Now that that's taken care of," Paine started as she struggled against the still restricting web. "Mind getting us out of here."

"Oh, right," Weiss replied as she moved to help the other Gullwings. With ease, she freed the others with her rapier making short work of the webs. However, with her back turned, she didn't notice the pyreflies being released from the fading pieces of the Fiend. Yuna and the others watched as the usual freeing of the unsent souls turned from the vibrant greens and blues to dark purples and blacks. They then began to reverse direction and reform into a new being.

The new creature had eight thin legs that supported a large two sectioned body. In the front, it had two large fangs and eight red eyes while the back half was a large black sack that was near twice the size of the front. White bone plating covered its legs, forming sharp blades at the ends of each, and the face around the eyes. The creature let out a screech before stabbing down upon the turned heiress in the process of cutting her last friend free.

Yuna didn't wait to warn Weiss of the attack, and instead shoved her out of the way before the spider-like creature could impale the heiress. However, it left the ex-summoner exposed to the attack herself, as she soon realized. She tried to move out of the leg as well, but it was too close and speared right through her abdomen. "Yunie!" Rikku cried in horror.

"Get away from her!" Paine ordered as she cleaved the leg off at the joint. The creature reeled back in pain, stumbling away from the group as it tried to find a sense of balance. Satisfied for the moment that it wasn't going to attack again, Paine rushed over to the summoner's side to check on her. "How is she?"

Rikku was carefully moving Yuna to her side to prevent any unneeded pressure on the wound. "It doesn't look like it hit anything vital, but she's losing blood fast," Rikku replied. Weiss was at their side as well, examining the leg and the creature it came from. Paine noticed this and turned to the heiress.

"Do you know anything about this, Weiss?" she asked, hoping to get some explanation.

"That… that's a Grimm," Weiss said, "A Widower to be exact. But why is it here?"

"It seemed to form when we killed the Boris."

"I have no clue why." Weiss shook her head and looked back to Yuna. "Dammit, we need to get her out of here, or she won't make it. Buddy, can you hear me?" The intercom crackled a couple of times before the Al Bhed voice came through from the other side.

" _Loud and clear, Weiss,_ " Buddy confirmed.

"Good, we need an immediate evac for Yuna now."

" _Yuna's hurt?!"_ Brother cried out from the intercom. " _I'm coming down right now."_

"No, just get the ship to the top now, she's losing a lot of blood."

" _I'm bringing her up now, just hold on."_

"Thanks, Buddy." Weiss turned back to the ex-summoner and sighed. "Help's on its way, so just hold tight."

"Meanwhile," Paine began as she walked to the heiress' side, "I think that asshole isn't going to give up." Weiss followed Paine's finger to find the Windower finish regrowing its leg and turning back to the rest of the group.

"Rikku, keep an eye on Yuna." The Al Bhed nodded next to the injured ex-summoner as she had her daggers ready just in case the Grimm got too close. Weiss turned back to Paine for a moment and the black-haired Gullwing nodded. "Let's take care of this quickly, because I don't think any of us could take much more fighting." The Grimm screeched once more and charged into battle.

* * *

Darkness rose from the form of the Buzzard. He had her where he wanted her. Abigail would be his soon; he just needed to show her the way back home. He required the Grimm, and with the Grimm came Fiends.

He had an army behind him, darkness billowing out from the forest where he lied in wait. Now was his time to strike, and then he could take Sister Abigail back home. It was his chance, and he was going to take it.

"Come, my brothers," he called out to the Grimm, "Sister Abigail is within that prison, controlled by those Hunters. They have killed thousands of our brethren before; now we must take back out sister!" A wave of howls from the Beowolfs within the mounds of Grimm signaled their readiness. "Charge!"

The Buzzard contorted his body as black feathers grew and his mouth formed into a beak. Soon, his form no longer looked like a man, but instead a vulture. Taking to the skies with the Nevermore and Zu, the army of Grimm and Fiends raced towards Signal Acadamy.

* * *

Auron squeezed his left hand, trying to get used to the prosthetics. Occasionally, he would shift the metallic arm into the blade form, then back to the hand. Despite being on Remnant for the better part of a year, he was still surprised in the differences in their machines compared to the machina of Spira.

Taking a look out the window, he watched in horror as a mass of pure darkness burst from the forest. "Dear Yevon," he gasped before rushing down the hall. Taking a right, he continued running until he nearly bulldozed Yang.

"Whoa, what's the rush?" she asked, gathering her balance.

"We've got a horde of Grimm and Fiends coming right now. Get your gear and let's go now." At this point, Taiyang and Qrow had both joined the two in the hall, hearing the commotion Auron had caused.

"Shit," Qrow muttered as he looked towards the forge, "Your sword is still not ready yet. Dammit, no time to finish it."

"Can't worry about that now, Qrow," Tai reminded is brother-in-law. Turning towards Auron, he said, "If you want to fight, you'll be without your main weapon, Auron."

"Fine," the guardian accepted, "This would be a good time to train with the capabilities of my Semblance." Flicking his left arm out once more, the blade form taking over. "Besides, I still have this."

"We need to go now guys if we are going to have any chance of defending this place," Qrow told the group. "I'll go get Jecht, and then we'll meet you guys outside. Be ready for a long fight, so bring plenty of Dust. Move out!" Not questioning the order, Auron, Yang, and Taiyang turned and made their way to the doors, ready for the coming battle.

* * *

 **And there you have it. A bit of a check in on both Airu, and the Lord of Hell himself, with a little bit of an introduction to Ren's twin brother. Plus, Airu finally connected some of the dots to narrow down Weiss' location from one universe to another. Then there was the Boris fight with a major twist, i.e. the Grimm afterward. What could that mean? Guess you'll just have to come back next time. Until then, I emplore all of you to enjoy your Spring Break, and I'll see you in two weeks.**


	19. Chapter 13: Of Grimm and Fiends

**Well, for those of you on the west coast, I didn't lie and in fact, I got it to you on Wednesday. Sorry, this is a bit late, I didn't have too much access last week to my laptop and this week has been a bit busy with some assignments needing to be finished up. I just finished this chapter's edits and writing the fight at the end, which will conclude the Floating Ruins arc of the Gullwings.**

 **Anyways, I want to say thanks to Dragonwing1995 for following and favoriting this story. And with that, I will cue the intro, so just sit back and enjoy.**

* * *

 **(Cue Sandcastle Kingdoms - NateWantsToBattle-Nathan Sharp)**

(0:00 - 0:07) **Instrumental**

 _The camera pans around the destruction of Beacon towards the broken moon, where 'When Dreams Become Nightmares' flickers around it before vanishing._

(0:07 - 0:14) **What can I make and what can I sell? A timeshare in heaven that's just out of hell**

 _The image changes to Seymour and Salem, standing atop an altar in the middle of the Grimm lands. Pyreflies and darkness surround them as the camera moves back to show the army of Grimm and Fiends._

(0:14 - 0:18) **Am I a fraud or a genuine scam?**

 _The scene shifts to that of Airu, sitting on a bed meant to belong to Weiss._

(0:18 - 0:22) **Am I a monster or worse, just a man?**

 _Another shift brings the image to Ren, sitting alone in darkness, a gun in his hand. A spectral being with black hair whispers into his ear as he stares at the gun in his hand._

(0:22 - 0:29) **In the end we're all the same. To the grave we only take our names**

 _Once more the image shift, to that of Auron standing over four graves. One by one, the spectral images of Velvet, Yatsuhashi, and Fox disappear. Auron and Coco stand alone, before she fades as well._

(0:30 - 0:37) **There's an ocean made of dreams. But the current strands you out at sea**

 _Another shift shows Tidus, standing at the edge of an ocean. Pyhrra stands in the water as the two try to reach each other. As their hands nearly meet, she begins drifting back, taken by the sea._

(0:38 - 0:50) **I wake up to find, the passing of time, made my mirror show, someone I don't know.**

 _In another shift, Weiss stares into the mirror. A plain rapier rests on her side as she as the Gullwings appear as the camera zooms out. Even as the other seem to be having a good time, she remains saddened and lost._

(0:51- 1:03) **Now with my own hands, build castles from sand, but all kingdoms drown, as tides bring them down.**

 _In a room of darkness, RagingKey and Seymour stand across from one another in a game of chess. They make their moves quickly, yet with strategy unmatched. In a matter of moments, both sides have claimed four pawns._

(1:04 - 1:11) **My army has fallen, ambitions have burned. The subjects stay loyal but don't wait their turn.**

 _The game board practically springs to life as the pieces become people as they dual. The camera pans around as Airu, with Winter and Neo at her side, take on Ifrit, Shiva, and Ixion. Elsewhere, Ren and Ruby are seen encountering a scientist with mutated Grimm. Tidus, Jaune, Lie Ren, and Nora stare down Tyrian. Auron and Yang, both with prosthetic arms, face off against The Buzzard._

(1:12 - 1:19) **Now blindly they follow their king to the fray, but he has no action and they have no say.**

 _Two chess pieces remain as they were, kings, as they stop in the center of the board, one space between the two. They don't move as the camera zooms out and spins._

(1:20 - 1:30) **In the end we're bound to change. We're made for more than all of these numbers and names.**

 _Scenes play out, side by side view, as each member of Team AART shows their changes over the year they spent in Beacon._

(1:30 - 1:38) **We could all go down in flames. Or put it out, relinquish these words from my mouth.**

 _The scene changes one last time to Airu, looking towards a tower of flames in the distance. Ren stands next to her, with Auron and Tidus standing next to him. Behind them, friends and allies stand with them as they looked towards their destiny, ready to fight._

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Of Fiends and Grimm**

Yang ducked underneath the claw of a Beowolf before firing a blast from her prosthetic arm. The Grimm faded into darkness, but Yang had already turned to punch an Imp trying to zap her father with a Thunder spell. Once the Fiend collapsed, she looked around to find herself surrounded by six Xiphos.

The creatures with bladed legs skittered around her as she awaited one to attack. Finally, one behind her went to make a move. As it tried to cut into her with its front legs, she deflected the blow with her metallic right arm and nailed the creature with a left hook. Rolling out of the way, a second Fiend missed its mark and met a similar fate to its friend.

Not even waiting, she fired off two more blasts from her shotgun gauntlets, killing half of the remaining blades surrounding her. The last two continued to skitter around her, before charging at her at the same time. However, she only saw one and rushed towards it. With a single blow, she blasted it apart before the other attempted to land a strike of its own.

"Sentinal," was all she heard before Auron practically appeared behind her, nearly knocking her over as he caught the strike with his own mechanical limb. As the Xiphos struggled to get away from the guardian, he pointed his other hand at the creature and chanted, "Blizzara!" A chunk of ice shot forward and pierced the hide of the Fiend before it began to fade into pyreflies.

"Wow, you really put him on the ice," Yang joked with her classic sense of punishable humor. Auron did not react as he scanned the battlefield for a new target.

"We need to take out whatever is leading this charge," he said as he kept his eyes out for anything. A lot of the battle had already happened, and now that the numbers had died down it became a little bit easier to breathe. Both of them were feeling a little tired, having fought for close to an hour nonstop. Most of the Grimm and Fiends weren't overly tough, and those that were bigger were handled in groups.

Looking over, Auron noticed a small mob of creatures being torn apart by the deadly, and probably drunk, duo of Jecht and Qrow. Their massive weapons and skill ripped through the Grimm and Fiends like they were nothing. Dark dust and pyreflies nearly hid the two and their fights.

Glancing towards the forest, he noticed a man grinning. Despite the change in clothes, he noticed that he did indeed have the same beard and facial features as the creepy janitor. "There," he pointed out. Yang followed his finger and nearly activated her Semblance right then and there. Once he was sure she saw him, Auron started after him with Yang close behind. As they ran, Auron cast Hastega, Shellga, and Protectga on himself and Yang. An orange glow covers their body, making them feel lighter as green and blue barriers fade from existence, but their power can still be felt.

As they approached the leader of the horde, they noticed the Grimm and Fiend that were flanking him. On his right, a large, gorilla-like Grimm stood on all fours at about eight feet tall. Various bits of white bone armor cover its arms and chests, protecting it from hits that would normally kill the large Bengril.

The Fiend on its left was a plant like being, with six branch-like legs and leaves arranged like a dress. The purplish body continued up into four points, revealing the venomous ooze contained within its mouth like opening. Four long vines rose up from the Lord Ochu's body, ready to strike with the whip-like appendages.

Slowing to a stop out of the reach of the two flanking creatures, the creepy janitor turned to them with a wicked grin, his black and unwashed beard making all the more disturbing. Instead of the custodian uniform he was wearing before, the bearded creep wore a black leather jacket over a black tank top, and a white pair of pants. Without the beard and creepy smile, he would have looked like any normal person, but instead he looked like he came out of a horror movie.

Expectantly, he flexed his right hand that was protected with a brown leather glove, exposing all but his thumb. "Abigail," he called out, "You have finally come. I have been waiting for you. Come with me, let's go home." As he said this, he held out his hand like he was asking for a dance.

"Sorry creep, but I ain't about to step into your windowless van," Yang snapped as she raised her fists. Next to her, Auron raised his hands in a similar manner, ready to cast whatever spell he needed to.

"You take the Fiend, it's weak to fire," he muttered in her ear, examining the situation. While he knew that the Fiend would be easier for him, considering his Sphere Grid Semblance, but the Grimm would prove difficult for the brawler with its high defenses. He, on the other hand, could hit it with Armor and Power Break, weakening it before dealing the final blow.

"Please, Abigail," the creep was now begging, "Return to us. Make our family whole again. It hasn't been the same since you were taken. Please come home." As he approached the two, he tried to grasp Yang's shoulder. Nervously, she stepped back to avoid the hand, and he took another step forward into the grasp of Auron.

Using his prosthetic arm, he wrapped his fingers around the neck of creep, halting his movement further. "You will not lay a hand on her," he spoke with authority, "And trust me when I say that what I would do to you is nothing compared to the terrors her father and uncle would bring down upon you. I suggest you leave before we have to kill you."

Instead of choking, like one would expect when their neck is being held, he laughed. It wasn't one that would be expected from a funny joke, but instead one of a manic madman. The evil laughter finally subsided into a hardy chuckle before that vanished as well when he looked into Auron's eyes. His eyes took a deep red color similar to a Grimm's eyes as he pried the fingers from around the Guardian's neck.

"You think that you could kill me, a God?" he asked. In an instant, his matter of speaking when from the devote of a cult to a prophet. "You are but a mere mortal in my presence, a pawn for this grand game of chess. Just because you have brainwashed Abigail, doesn't mean that your manipulative ways will work on a God like me. She was just a child when you tore her from me, but I have reached my true potential."

He stepped back as he pulled a lantern from behind his back. A dark purple flame burned inside as it swung back and forth in his hands. "I will kill you here," he declared as the two creatures began moving forward. "Abigail will come with me, and I will use force if I have to. Maybe she can fix your mind when we return, Abigail. Now perish."

On command, the Bengril and Lord Ochu charged forward, intent on killing the two. Yang and Auron jumped back, avoiding the fists and vines coming for them. "Now!" the guardian commanded, putting into motion what he suggested earlier. Yang rushed towards the Fiend, dodging the vines as Auron made sure to not get it by the large fists of the ape-like Grimm. It wasn't going to be easy, but when has that stopped them before.

* * *

Paine leaped back to avoid the thin limb shooting towards her, the Widower's leg spearing the ground and cracking more of the stone floor. In frustration, the black-clad Gullwing severed the leg with her blade. The creature, or Grimm as Weiss referred to it as, let out a chittering scream before bucking up on its hind four legs. With unnatural speed, the Grimm swiped at Paine with its other three arms.

Instinctively she managed to parry the first strike and bring her blade around to deflect the second, but the third managed to slip through. Paine tried to move to the side, but she wasn't fast enough as the Widower's leg raked across her torso. Fortunately for the Gullwing, the cut wasn't too deep, but it still dug in a good half-inch and cut through one of her suspenders.

Paine backed away further, her breathing becoming more labored the longer the fight prolongs. Her nose still hurt from Carrie breaking it earlier and coupled with some of the blood loss, she wasn't feeling the greatest leaving that fight. She had recovered a bit thanks to Weiss's potion, sure, but that only did so much and fighting the Boris only minutes ago wasn't helping the situation. The new cut only added to the problem, as it was bleeding a fair amount at the moment. Not enough to threaten her life within the next few minutes or so, but she wasn't keen on finding out how many more of those shots her body was willing to deal with.

A quick glance over her shoulder told her that Rikku was still keeping watch and trying to hold Yuna's wound closed. Much the like leg in front of her, the one that had been severed from the Widower after its initial appearance had faded into black dust. That meant that there wasn't much keeping the blood flow somewhat contained around where she was stabbed and increased the chances of the ex-summoner bleeding out. _We need to end this quickly,_ Paine thought to herself.

Weiss landed next to Paine with a few rocks flying from where the white-haired Gullwing had previously been standing. The heiress countered quickly by hopping back and cutting into the Widower's leg with the bladed guns of her Gunner Dresspiece. The attack managed to sever another limb, causing the creature to screech and scuttle back.

"This isn't going well," Weiss pointed out. Her breathing was heavier than usual as well; a testament to the long day they have all had to deal with for one sphere. The heiress also had a couple new cuts as well. One along her right arm, just above the elbow, that was bleeding a fair bit. Another was on her left leg that was making it hard for her to put her full weight on it. Both wounds weren't deep but were quickly turning the all-white outfit to red. "It's too fast to get a good Cheap Shot in, and regular shots can't seem to piece its bone armor. We're stuck cutting off its legs until we can do something else."

"Got any ideas then," Paine asked.

"Don't die." The Widower chittered of in the distance as it's leg finished repairing. Its abdomen began vibrating violently as it pushed itself as high as it could go with its long legs. Weiss' eyes widened as she pointed her guns towards the Grimm. "Switch to Gunner now, it's bringing back up."

"What?"

"Just do it!" Paine complied and stabbed her sword into the ground as she focused on her Garment Grid. With no more than a mental switch, she willed her outfits to change from her Warrior Dressphere to her Gunner. A pair of pistols fell into her hands while the change of outfit made its changes to her magical ability.

As the transformation completed, the Widower let out one final screech and bent its abdomen below its head. The black hide of the Grimm bursts open violently as a horde of tiny spider spilled out towards the Gullwings. "Shoot the Black Widows, now!" Weiss ordered. The black and white Gullwings both activated their Trigger Happy abilities and let loose into the horde. It barely made a dent in their numbers as hundreds of Black Widow Grimm charged through the barrage of bullets.

The horde was soon only feet from them, each one of the little arachnids wanting to take a bite out of the Gullwings, when the sudden flapping of large wings caught Paine's attention. She wasn't able to spare a glance towards the source as one of the spiders tried nibbling on her leg. Instead, it got a bullet as she backed away from the swarming horde. Another leaped from the crowd when the wind was forcibly pulled back.

Paine staggered back with Weiss as they braced for whatever was coming. They heard a loud slap and boom before a massive gust of wind was blown forward. The entire horde of Black Widows were lifted from the platform and blasted off the top of the ruins, however the Widower managed to hold on.

In shock, the Gullwings looked up and gasped at the sight of the black Fiend above them. The large Zu continued to flap its wings above them protectively. Before either of them could question it, the Widower raised its fangs to challenge the Zu and charged. The Fiend obliged and got a little more air before digging its talons into the eyes of the Grimm.

Enraged, the arachnid reached up with is two front legs and stabbed into the roc's torso. With immense strength, it slammed the Zu into the stone ground and cracked the platform even more. The Fiend cawed in pain as it struggled against the limbs pinning it to the ground. In an act of desperation, it bit down with its razor sharp teeth into the bone covered head of the Grimm. The impact of teeth and bone shattered most of the teeth, but it also cracked part of the armor that covered the Widower.

The Grimm pushed into the Zu a little harder, causing it to loosen its mouth enough to remove that threat from its eyes. In an act of spite and brutality, the Widower dug its fangs into the neck of the Fiend. It two bird eyes widened as the arachnid's eight stared back before yanking up. The Gullwings were subject to the horrific manner in which the Widower tore the head from the Zu. The Fiend went limp below the Grimm as it slowly shifted its attention to them.

Before they could be charged and slaughtered like the Fiend before them, another figure landed next to them. With purple fur and a humanoid form, the Barshura Fiend cracked all four sets of knuckles as it stared down the Grimm. The Widower chittered in rage before charging the Bashura. The Fiend ducked underneath the first two legs and grabbed the underside of the arachnid with its top set of arms. It heaved with overwhelming power and launched the Grimm thirty feet into a nearby collum.

The ogre-type Fiend didn't let up in its assault as it pinned the top of the Grimm into the pillar with one set of arms holding its legs. The other set was brought together and slammed into the face of the Widower. Each strike hit like a truck and threatened to cave in the bone armor that was being reduced to dust. Desperation kicked in for the Grimm as the Fiend began driving a knee into its abdomen, which had been weakened when it ruptured to release the Black Widows.

The onslaught was slowed down significantly when the Widower used the four legs not being pinned or keeping its body up to spear through the Fiend. Furious, the Bashura roared in defiance of the wounds and pulled on the legs. Like crab legs, the limbs were removed with a loud crack before being turned around in its arms. The Grimm screeched as its own spear-like legs were driven through its eyes.

Time seemed to stand as the two creatures remained still. Moments later both collapsed and began fading away, their essence melding together as it escaped what remained of their bodies. Paine and Weiss remained in shock and awe as they processed what just happened. The two remained speechless and planned to do so when their intercoms began going off.

" _Gullwings, this is Buddy, come in,"_ the navigator said.

"This is Weiss," she reported, "The threat has been eliminated, but Yuna still needs medical attention."

" _Then Shina's invention worked, that's good. I'm bringing her up right now. We'll get her taken care of, so feel free to grab the sphere."_

"Alright, just hurry." Weiss pushed herself to her feet with Paine following behind her a moment later. The two proceeded into the chamber of the ruins, wherein the center sat a red sphere atop a stone pedestal.

"All this fighting for this," Paine acknowledged as she claimed their findings.

"Yeah, I just this was all worth it," Weiss replied as she looked over her body and Paine's. "We should probably get going and have our wounds treated because that doesn't look all that pleasant." Paine nodded in agreement as the two carefully hurried back to the ship for some long needed rest and healing.

* * *

 **Y'all liked that fight, right? Wasn't expecting that to happen, I'm sure? (Mostly because I thought of it myself a couple of days ago, but shush). Either way, this was one of my best monster fights personally, and it also reminded me why I hate writing monster fights. They can get a bit dull sometimes, but I think I made this one alright, but let be know what you all think.**

 **And with that we will be moving the spotlight away from the Gullwings for a while as the Floating Ruins took a lot longer than I initially planned on. Seriously, the first draft had three chapters for it, the intro, the duo fight, and the Boris fight. It was my editing mind wanting to make it better that spread it out and gave it more focus than before. But now we get to see Auron and Yang in action with their new hands, so stay tuned because in two weeks, we will continue this story. Until then, have a good night.**


End file.
